Aizawl, Apr 17 (PTI): Ngopa village council in northeastern Mizoram was adjudged the best panchayat in India as it won the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikar Puraskar at the National Panchayat Awards on Monday, an official said.
President Droupadi Murmu gave the award to Ngopa village council at a function in New Delhi. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1.5 crore and a plaque.
Ngopa village bagged the first prize on the basis of nine Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) themes, including poverty-free and enhanced livelihoods panchayat, clean and green panchayat and panchayat with good governance.
Ngopa, about 182 km from state capital Aizawl, is located in Saitual district, bordering Manipur. The village has a population of 4,600 people, the official said.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is celebrating the National Panchayat Awards Week from April 17-21 as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav 2.0 in the run-up to the National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24.