State PCS - Bihar (BPSC)

• 29 Apr 2025

Padma Bhushan Awarded to the Former Deputy CM of Bihar

Why in News? 

Bihar’s former Deputy Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Modi, was posthumously awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan for his exceptional contributions to public life. The honor was conferred by President Droupadi Murmu.  

• Sushil Kumar Modi was one of the ten distinguished personalities to receive the Padma Bhushan. 

Key Points  

Contributions of Sushil Kumar Modi  

• Fiscal Management and State Development: As Bihar’s longest-serving Deputy CM and Finance Minister, he played a crucial role in transforming Bihar into a revenue-surplus state.  
  • He was known for effective fiscal management and contributing to the state's development through improved governance. 
• Introduction of GST: He was instrumental in the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India.  
  • As the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers (2011-2013), he played a pivotal role in building consensus among states for the rollout of GST, which was a landmark reform in India's tax structure. 
• Political Career and Leadership: With over three decades in politics, he served in both Houses of Parliament and the Bihar Legislative Assembly.  
  • He also held leadership roles such as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law, and Justice. 
• Gender Budget and Women’s Welfare: While serving as Bihar’s Finance Minister, Modi introduced the innovative concept of a gender budget, focusing on the welfare and empowerment of women, ensuring that their issues were addressed in the state’s financial planning. 
• Advocacy for Organ Donation: He was a strong advocate for organ donation and founded the ‘Dadhichi Deh Daan Samiti’ campaign in Bihar, which promoted awareness about organ donation and encouraged people to donate their organs. 

 Padma Awards 

• Background: 
  • The Padma Awards are announced annually on Republic Day (26th January). 
  • Instituted in 1954, it is one of the highest civilian honours of India. 
• Objective: 
  • To recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved. 
• Categories: 
  • The Awards are given in three categories: 
    • Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), 
    • Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and 
    • Padma Shri (distinguished service). 
  • Padma Vibhushan is highest in the hierarchy of Padma Awards followed by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. 
• Disciplines: 
  • The awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities like art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. 
• Eligibility: 
  • All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these Awards. 
• Selection Process: 
  • Padma Awards Committee: 
    • The Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. 
  • Awarded by President: 
    • The awards are presented by the President of India usually in March/April every year.

National Panchayat Awards 2025

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister of India presented the National Panchayat Awards during an event organized on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day (24th April 2025) at Madhubani, Bihar. 

Key Points 

• Motipur Panchayat: 
  • Motipur Panchayat of Bihar has been awarded the National Panchayat Award 2025. The Prime Minister presented this award to Mukhiya Prema Devi
    • As part of this award, an amount of Rs 50 lakh was also awarded to the Panchayat. 
  • Motipur Panchayat is the only one selected from Bihar for the 'Climate Action Special Panchayat Award.' 
    • Only three panchayats have been selected from across the country in this category. 
  • This award is given for outstanding contributions to environmental protection, green development, and climate-friendly schemes. 
• About National Panchayat Awards: 
  • This is to encourage top performing Panchayats that are in line with the 9 themes of Local Development Goals (LSDGs), which cover all the 17 SDGs. 
  • For this, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj has established special categories of National Panchayat Awards to encourage them. 
    • Climate Action Special Panchayat Award (CASPA): To encourage Panchayats to act as climate-responsive local governments. 
    • Atma Nirbhar Panchayat Special Award (ANPSA): To promote Atmanirbharta through augmentation of Own Source Revenue (OSR) by Panchayats. 
    • Panchayat Kshamta Nirman Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar (PKNSSP): To recognize excellence in capacity building and training of Panchayati Raj representatives and functionaries. 
    • The winners are awarded trophies, certificates, and cash prizes.  
      • The first-place winner receives Rs 1 crore, the second-place winner gets Rs 75 lakh, and the third-place winner is awarded Rs 50 lakh. 

National Panchayati Raj Day  

• The day is being celebrated on April 24 since 2010. 
• It marks the enactment of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, through which Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) were granted statutory status.  

Panchayati Raj 

• Panchayats are mentioned in Article 40 of the Indian Constitution and Article 246 empowers the State Legislature to make laws on any matter relating to local self-government. 
• To establish democracy at the local level, PRIs were given constitutional status through the 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 and they were entrusted with the task of rural development in the country. 
  • PRI is a system of rural local self-government in India.