Three Indian projects to receive U.N. public service awards

June 29, 2013

U.N. Public Service Awards will be given to three Indian projects for the year 2013. The awards are given for projects that fight poverty and promote sustainable development.
What are these Projects?
The projects are:
1. Project Mass Contact Programme of Kerala:

Launched in 2011 by Kerala government
Aim: Combating red tape and bureaucracy in administration
Key Achievements: Enables interaction b/w the people and the government by encouraging them to approach the government directly to get their concerns addressed without delay or corrupt practices. Under this programme, The CM visits each town and organizes massive events where people can address their queries personally. The programme has facilitated in improving accountability in the State. It has reduced the time usually taken to respond to complaints and actions and has expedited problem solving.
2. Project Swavalamban of District Administration of Dhanbad in Jharkhand:
It is an initiative of Dhanbad administration.
Aim : To improve disbursement of pensions in the district.
Key Achievements: Replaced the manual process of disbursement in the payment of pensions, particularly registration of new pensioners by automating payment and creation of direct cash transfers into pensioners’ bank accounts. It reduced the time from three months to three days. Payment through Business Correspondent in remote rural areas has dramatically improved the delivery of services. Besides, the database of all pensioners was digitized with the help of new software.
3. Graamin Haat programme of Department of Cottage and Rural Industries in Madhya Pradesh:
Aim: Women Empowerment
Key Achievements: The Haat Development Committee that operates weekly markets (haats) is setting up Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) that operate its own haats. Women now not only had an important place in the haat and thus in society but also control over resources. Now, there are 1,775 shops in 36 haats benefiting almost 1,800 sellers and 4,15,000 villagers from 217 villages. This endeavor has provided women an opportunity to acquire management skills, operate a business on their own and improve overall living conditions in their communities. This in turn imbued a new sense of self-confidence and earned them respect in the family and society. It has also allowed women to gradually become part of the governance of their community.