Patna: Bihar government Panchayati Raj minister Deepak Prakash has congratulated Telkap gram panchayat in Rohtas district after it secured second place in the Nanaji Deshmukh Best Panchayat Sustainable Development Award category under the National Panchayat Awards.
The award was received by Telkap mukhiya Anita Toppo, who was felicitated by the minister during a programme organised by the Panchayati Raj department.
Department highlights local governance efforts
The director of the Panchayati Raj department also honoured Anita Toppo with a bouquet and praised the panchayat’s performance in implementing development schemes at the grassroots level.
Officials said the role of the panchayat secretary and local administration in executing welfare and development programmes significantly contributed to the recognition.
Focus on drinking water and sanitation
During the interaction, the minister reviewed ongoing development work and local challenges in the gram panchayat, including access to clean drinking water and sanitation.
Deepak Prakash said some wards in Telkap still face difficulties in the availability of safe drinking water and assured departmental support to address the issue.
He encouraged the panchayat to continue working towards sustainable development and public welfare, adding that other gram panchayats in Bihar could draw lessons from Telkap’s experience.
Minister plans visit to gram panchayat
The minister said he would visit Telkap gram panchayat in the near future to review development initiatives and interact with local representatives.
He also stressed the need for panchayats to develop their own sources of revenue, stating that financially self-reliant local bodies would strengthen rural development and enable governance aligned with local needs.
Mukhiya credits collective effort
Mukhiya Anita Toppo said the award reflected the collective work of elected representatives, panchayat staff and residents of the village.
She said the award money would be used for development projects benefiting all sections of the community.
Toppo also credited training programmes organised by the District Panchayat Resource Centre for improving administrative capacity and helping in the effective implementation of government schemes.
