By IANS,
Bhopal : A total of 212 gram panchayats in Madhya Pradesh have been selected for the Nirmal Gram Puraskar under the Total Sanitation Campaign, officials said Friday.
A release issued by the state government mentioned that as a token, President Pratibha Patel gave away Nirmal Gram Puraskar to Ramkali Saket, sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Paharkha in Naigarhi development block of Rewa district, in New Delhi on Thursday.
Union Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh was also present on the occasion.
This award is given by the Union Government to Zilla, Janpad and Gram Panchayats for getting rid of open-area defecation.
One Gram Panchayat in Madhya Pradesh had won the Nirmal Gram Puraskar in the year 2005-06, 190 Gram Panchayats in 2006-07, 682 in 2007-08, 639 in 2008-09, 344 in 2009-10 and 184 Gram Panchayats won the Puraskar in the year 2010-11.