Lucknow, Apr 21 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh has won the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration for effectively using solar energy to run water-based schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission, showcasing innovation and sustainability in the country’s most populous state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the award to Uttar Pradesh’s Additional Chief Secretary, Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply Department, Anurag Srivastava, at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on the occasion of the 17th Civil Services Day.

The event, themed ‘Viksit Bharat-Holistic Development of India with Focus on Saturation Approach’, also saw awards being conferred on Moradabad District Magistrate Anuj Singh for establishing a library for the differently abled, and Bahraich District Magistrate Monika Rani for her grassroots administrative outreach.

ACS Anurag Srivastava, a 1992-batch IAS officer, received the award in the ‘Innovation (State)’ category. Under his leadership, Uttar Pradesh became the first state to implement solar energy on a massive scale in Jal Jeevan Mission projects, with over 33,000 of the total 41,539 projects now powered by solar.

These projects generate approximately 900 megawatts of electricity daily, slashing water supply costs in rural areas by over 50 per cent and reducing reliance on the electrical grid.

“This award carries a greater responsibility – to ensure that the government’s noble projects are executed with a zero-error approach and complete accountability,” Srivastava said, crediting the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the determined implementation by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Moradabad DM Anuj Singh, honoured for a pioneering initiative that established a library for differently abled children, said the recognition was a matter of “great honour and pride for Moradabad.” Speaking alongside Chief Development Officer Sumit Yadav, Singh added, “This was a joint effort by the education department and others, initiated under the guidance of Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh.” Yadav said, “After being shortlisted, the project was presented to the screening committee and later verified on-site by the directorate-level panel.” The duo expressed hope that this initiative would inspire the state to create more inclusive spaces for children with special needs.

“We thank everyone who contributed to the success of this project,” they said.

Bahraich DM Monika Rani, who was also conferred with the Prime Minister’s Award, dedicated the honour to the people of the aspirational district.

“This award is a reflection of our effort to take services to the last mile, in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ensuring the benefits of development reach the remotest villages,” she said.

Rani elaborated on the district’s “Sewa se Santushtikaran” (Saturation through Service) campaign, under which 25 departments offered 40 essential services to residents of remote clusters through camps held in 10’“15 villages at a time.

“Many people, despite being eligible, were missing out on services due to lack of information or documentation. So, we ensured on-spot delivery of services and real-time portal updates during the camps,” she said.

She added that the campaign significantly improved coordination between the administration and elected representatives.

“It also allowed us to showcase public services to the media and citizens alike, strengthening transparency and trust,” she said, thanking the officials, public representatives, citizens, and media for their support.

The Prime Minister’s Awards aim to recognize outstanding and innovative contributions by civil servants in implementing priority government programmes. PTI COR KIS NB NB