Rajeev Chawla, R S Pandey bag PM's awards

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) The Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration for 2005-06 have been won by Mr Rajeev Chawla, IAS, Secretary, Government of Karnataka, and Mr R S Pandey, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Steel.

Mr Pandey has been Chief Secretary of Nagaland.

Mr Chawla receives the award for implementing 'Bhoomi', a computerised land records system for delivery, updating and safe storing of land records in Karnataka. Bhoomi enables citizens to access their land records easily and ensures transparency in the management of these records. On line access and creation of electronic database of land records has obliterated the need for manual rewriting and updating of land records.

Mr Pandey has won the award for his initiative in enabling participation of the user community in the management of public institutions and services in Nagaland when he was Chief Secretary.

Mr Pandey conceptualised and implemented the programme to involve user communities in fields like education, health and power. The increased attendance and enrolment at schools, improved availability of doctors and increase in treatment of patients and improved collection of electricity revenues as well as reduced power theft testified to the efficacy of the initiatives taken, an official press note said today.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the institution of the Prime Minister's Awards for excellence in Public Administration on Civil Services Day, April 21, 2006. These Awards will be given away on April 21.

The Awardees were selected through a three-step selection process. First, the State Government sent a shortlist of nominees to the Government of India. Second, an Expert Committee chaired by Secretary, Personnel, Government of India and including four eminent persons -- Dr Samuel Paul (former Director, IIM), Dr Deepak Nayyar (former Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University), Dr R K Pachauri (Director, TERI) and Mr Salman Haider (Former Foreign Secretary) -- prepared a further shortlist and recommended names to an Empowered Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, and including Mr V K Shunglu (former CAG) and Mr Suman Dubey (former Editor).

UNI