New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday conferred the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration for effective "implementation of identified priority programmes and innovation". He presented 16 awards for five identified Priority Programmes and for innovations in the sphere of public administration and delivery of services.


PM Modi also addressed the event on the occasion of the 15th civil services day. Speaking at the award ceremony, PM Modi said that India is moving from the 75th year of independence to its centenary in 2047 cannot be a routine affair and it should be a watershed moment for the country.

"Our Amrit Kaal is not just to laud the last seven decades. We may have gone from 70-75 (years of independence) in routine. We may gone from 60-70 (years of independence) in routine. But from 75 to 2047, India at 100, cannot be routine.

"Our Amrit Mahotsav should be a watershed. The period of (the next) 25 years should be seen as single time unit and not as (different) pieces," Modi said while addressing the bureaucrats. 

The prime minister further said the prime responsibility of civil servants is to uphold the country's unity and integrity.

"We cannot make any compromise on that. Whenever we make any decision, even at the local level, however populist and attractive it may be, it must be weighed if this decision in a small village will prove to be a hindrance to the unity and integrity of the country or not," he said.


The Prime Minister also urged the civil servants to pick any government scheme and chalk out a strategy to implement it in the districts they are posted in.


Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, "Can the award winners share their stories at training institutes related to civil services? This will not only inspire others but will also give practical exposure to them." "The awardees conferred today should select any one of the government schemes and draft a plan to implement it in their districts," he said.


The Prime Minister highlighted that everybody has an opportunity to learn from each other. PM Modi said, "We always have an opportunity to learn from each other. When you try to proactively learn from people, you will always find something new to adapt in your life."


Lauding the efforts of young entrepreneurs, Modi said India has seen 14 unicorns in the first quarter of 2022.

During the last eight years, he said, many big changes have been implemented in the country which have "behavioural change" at their core.