The state government has notified the ‘Haryana Good Governance Award Scheme 2024’ (Haryana Sushaasan Puraskaar Yojana 2024). It aims to promote excellence in governance by recognizing and rewarding employees whose innovative practices and exceptional efforts contribute to improved governance across the state. The notification to this effect was issued by Chief Secretary Vivek Joshi on Wednesday, which is applicable to all employees across government departments, boards, corporations and public sector undertakings in the state.

The notification states that under the scheme, the State Government has outlined specific rewards to recognize exceptional efforts in promoting good governance across the state. The awards at the state level have been categorized to include both Flagship Scheme Awards and State-Level Awards for teams demonstrating outstanding performance and innovation.

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The State-Level Flagship Scheme Awards will honour teams involved in flagship projects that bring significant improvements in governance. These awards include a trophy and an appreciation certificate signed by the Chief Secretary of Haryana, which will be added to the service record of each awarded employee through the respective Administrative Secretary.

Additionally, a cash reward of Rs 51,000 will be provided per flagship scheme. The cash reward will be equally distributed among all team members, regardless of their individual ranks or positions, ensuring fair recognition for each contributor within the team. Alongside the flagship scheme awards, State-Level Awards will be conferred on teams achieving high performance in various governance initiatives. These awards include a trophy and a certificate of appreciation, placed in the service records of the recipients.

According to an official statement, cash rewards for the state-level awards are structured across three categories, with Rs 51,000 for the first prize, Rs 31,000 for the second prize and Rs 21,000 for the third. As with the flagship scheme awards, the cash rewards will be divided equally among the winning team members, fostering a spirit of teamwork and collective achievement.

At the district level, the scheme introduces the District-Level Awards, which will be presented by the Deputy Commissioner of each district. Each district will recognize teams in three categories, with cash rewards set at Rs 31,000 for first place, Rs 21,000 for second place and Rs 11,000 for third place. Each awarded team will also receive a trophy and an appreciation certificate signed by the Divisional Commissioner of the respective district.

A maximum of six awards will be granted under the State-Level Flagship Scheme Awards category, acknowledging exceptional performance in key state initiatives. Additionally, the State-Level Awards will include six honours, with three awards for individual state-level performances—one each for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions—and three awards designated for the top three performing districts, as ranked by the parameters provided in the guidelines. At the district level, each district will be eligible for three awards, acknowledging the top three positions for governance initiatives.

The areas of evaluation for these awards cover a wide range of public service domains, including Economic category- key performance indicators include the ease of doing business, the growth of industries and MSME establishments, agricultural advancements such as food grain and horticultural production, and environmental considerations like forest cover changes and the implementation of climate action plans. Economic governance metrics, including Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth, per capita income, fiscal health, and state revenue generation, are also critical factors in the evaluation process.

In the Infrastructure category, the scheme assesses the availability of essential public utilities, including potable water, electricity, and sanitation. The success of initiatives such as the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Open Defecation Free (ODF) villages and towns, and the accessibility of 24×7 power supply are key focus areas. Additionally, the scheme evaluates improvements in rural connectivity and energy availability to meet growing demands.

The social sector evaluation covers a wide range of indicators related to human resource development, including the quality of education, gender parity in school enrolment, and skill training initiatives. It also emphasizes social welfare, such as health insurance coverage, unemployment rates, and housing for all. Special attention is given to the empowerment of women, SCs, STs, OBCs, and minorities, along with the disposal of cases related to atrocities against SC/ST communities. Further, it evaluates citizen-centric governance initiatives, such as the digitization of services and the efficiency of the judiciary in disposing of cases, including those related to consumer rights.

The notification further outlines the procedure for employees to apply for the awards. Employees are required to submit their online applications via the portal at haryanagoodgovernanceawards.haryana.gov.in or manually to the ‘Empowered Committee’ or the ‘District-Level Empowered Committee’. Additionally, employees may submit an advance copy of their success story through the portal or by regular mail.

The deadline for submission of applications to both the ‘Empowered Committee’ and ‘District Level Empowered Committee’ is December 5. The final recommendations for the awards, including State-Level Flagship Schemes (by the Government), State-Level Awards (by the Empowered Committee), and District-Level Awards (by the District Level Empowered Committee), will be finalized, preferably by 10th December, 2024.

The Empowered Committee for State-Level Awards and the District Level Empowered Committee for District-Level Awards will be responsible for shortlisting candidates for up to three times the number of awards to be given.

The competent authority for the approval of awards will be the Government of Haryana for State-Level Flagship Schemes and State-Level Awards, while the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district will approve the awards for District-Level categories.

Notably, the Good Governance Day is celebrated every year on 25th December on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.