No more Padma Awards for serving bureaucrats

New Delhi: The Indian government has decided that Padma Awards will no longer be conferred to serving bureaucrats, the Lok Sabha informed today. Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran said that a decision has been taken by the government to keep its officials and employees out of the category of Padma Awards. “Serving government servants are not eligible for Padma Awards as per decision taken by the government,” he said. [caption id=“attachment_52544” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Mullappally Ramachandran:“Serving government servants are not eligible for Padma Awards as per decision taken by the government.“PIB”]  [/caption] Ramachandran said that the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration was instituted to acknowledge, recognise and reward the extraordinary and innovative effort of the officers of the Central and state governments. The awards, carrying a medal, scroll and cash, are presented by the Prime Minister on the occasion of Civil Services day on 21 April every year. “First such awards were given in 2007. All serving officers of the Central and state governments, either individually or as a team or as an organisation are eligible for the award,” Ramachandran said. PTI