As many as 344 Panchayati Raj Institutions of the state will share the Rs 4.22 crores awarded by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Rural Development for exemplary performance under the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) program for the financial year 2010-11.
The Rs. 4,22,02,500 in cash would be disbursed through State Water and Sanitation Mission, Andhra Pradesh, to the 344 Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Andhra Pradesh.
The award constitutes 85% of the total award money worth Rs. 4.96 crores due to be released to the states for the year 2010-11. The remaining amount of 15% of the award money shall be released after the AP government submits Statement of Utilization of the money released for NGP during the previous year, and disbursement of at least 50% of the eligible award money to the Gram Panchayats during the year 2010-11.
In addition, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has released funds worth Rs. 27.36 lakhs to State Water and Sanitation Mission, Andhra Pradesh, for organizing the function at the state level to honour the 344 Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Andhra Pradesh who have been awarded NGP during the year 2010-11.
Nirmal Gram Puraskar is a comprehensive incentive-based program to recognize the efforts in terms of cash awards for fully covered PRIs, and those individuals and institutions who have contributed significantly in ensuring full sanitation coverage in their areas of operations. The project is being implemented in rural areas taking district as a unit of implementation.