New Delhi: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has officially announced the winners of the National Panchayat Awards 2025, marking a significant milestone for rural governance in India. Among the 17 states and Union Territories recognized for their excellence.
Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, expressed his appreciation for Odisha’s triumph is bagging 5 National Awards.
Odisha has emerged as a standout performer, securing a total of five prestigious honors across various categories. The success of the state’s grassroots institutions highlights a robust trajectory toward the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals and underscores the impactful leadership behind Odisha’s rural administrative reforms.
Odisha’s performance in the 2025 awards was highlighted by its success in the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar category, where the Ganjam District Panchayat secured the second rank nationally, earning a substantial prize of 3 crore.
The state also demonstrated excellence in thematic categories under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar. Notable winners include Potalampur Gram Panchayat in Ganjam for its efforts toward becoming a Healthy Panchayat, and Padua Gram Panchayat in Kendujhar, which was recognized in the Water-Sufficient category. Additionally, Hatibandha in Sundargarh and Mandar in Ganjam received accolades for their work in the Clean and Green and Socially Just and Socially Secured themes, respectively.
The state’s consistent recognition on the national stage has been closely linked to the strategic vision of senior administrators. Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre and currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, expressed his satisfaction for such an achievement.
Having served for over three years as the Principal Secretary of the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department in Odisha, Shri Lohani played a pivotal role in designing and implementing the frameworks that empowered these local bodies. His tenure was marked by a dedicated drive to enhance the capacity of Gram Panchayats, ensuring that service delivery and infrastructure development met high standards.
The current success of Odisha’s Panchayats is seen as a direct result of the groundwork laid during Shri Lohani’s leadership in the state. By focusing on data-driven governance and the Panchayat Advancement Index scores, his initiatives helped streamline the path for local bodies to translate national development priorities into tangible grassroots action.
As the Ministry prepares for the official award distribution ceremony on June 3, 2026, in New Delhi, the achievements of Odisha serve as a testament to how sustained administrative focus and community-led initiatives can drive the vision of a Viksit Bharat.