Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh was on Wednesday conferred the award of Champions of Change 2018 in New Delhi.
The award to N Biren was conferred by Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu at an event organized at Vigyan Bhavvan in the national capital for exemplary leadership in bringing about transformation in governance in the state of Manipur.
The other prominent awardees included Union Minister of State for Food Processing, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Sudarshan Bhagat and member of Parliament, Nishikant Dubey, reports ifp.co.in.
The award was constituted to identify remarkable progress made in 115 Aspirational districts whose development is being monitored by NITI Aayog.
Manipur was recognized for all round development on various parameters in its aspirational district Chandel, a rare feat among all other states of India.
With concerted and collaborative efforts of the State Government, district administration and various Ministries of the Government of India, Chandel district has achieved saturation in several national programmes: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, Unnat Jyoti (LED) Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Mission Indradhanush. The award selection jury was led by former Chief Justice of India, Justice K G Balakrishnan.
The other jury members include Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra, former Supreme Court Judge; Dr S Y Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India; Sonal Mansingh, Padma Vibhushan; Anil Kumar Sinha, Former CBI director; Pahlaj Nihalam, former Chairman of Central Board of Film Certification; Yaduvendra Mathur, Additional Secretary, NITI Aayog and, president, Aditya Birla Group, Amit Bajaj.
The event was attended by eminent jurists, journalists, politicians, social leaders, artists, film makers etc. The event witnessed an audience of over 1000 eminent personalities.
In his speech, vice president, Venkaiah Naidu lauded the changes brought about in Manipur within a very short period of time. He also stressed that in order to transform India, development has to be made into a people’s movement.