Our Bureau
New Delhi
As a day to recognize exceptional performances by civil servants and reinforcing their vital role in the administration of the nation, the National Civil Service Day was celebrated on April 21 with ceremonies and awards held across the country, particularly in the capital, New Delhi. The day holds special relevance for aspirants preparing for UPSC Mains, State PSC, and SSC exams, as it highlights the essence of public administration, commitment to service, and the ideals that guide civil services in the country.
Gracing the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released two e-Coffee Table Books — “Holistic Development of Districts for Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration” and “Select Innovations from Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration” — highlighting exemplary governance initiatives and innovative practices recognized under the Prime Minister’s Awards.
The Prime Minister also conferred the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration for effective implementation of identified priority programmes and innovations to districts, as well as central and state government organisations.
Jharkhand’s Gamharia block in Seraikella-Kharsawan district received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration, 2024, in the category of the Aspirational Block Programme. Ravi Shankar Shukla, Deputy Commissioner of Seraikella-Kharsawan, received the award on behalf of block Gamharia, which secured first place among 500 aspirational blocks across the country.
The Aspirational Block Programme is a NITI Aayog initiative, launched on January 7, 2023. It focuses on improving the overall quality of life in 500 underdeveloped blocks across the country by accelerating socio-economic development through improved governance, service delivery, and monitoring of key indicators.
The observance of Civil Services Day dates back to April 21, 1947, when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, addressed the first batch of civil servants in independent India at Metcalf House, Delhi. In his iconic speech, he referred to civil servants as the “Steel Frame of India”, emphasizing their crucial role in maintaining administrative stability and national progress.
The first official Civil Services Day was celebrated on April 21, 2006, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, and has since become an annual tradition.
