Aruna Roy presented Lal Bahadur Shastri Award

New Delhi, Oct 1 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil gave away the prestigious 'Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics and Management for 2010' to renowned social activist Aruna Roy at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here today.

The award carries a cash prize of five lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque and the awardee will be designated as Lal Bahadur Shastri Fellow.

Aruna Roy, who is also a member of the National Advisory Council (NAC), said the award-symbolized people's effort towards being part of a policymaking decision.

"This award is particularly the recognition of the Right to Information, and of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which also established that people can make policy, that people can define the needs with political representatives, with the government, with the Press, with the intellectuals, with the management experts and bring everyone together on a common platform to make something which benefits everybody in the country at large," said Aruna Roy.

Aruna Roy, who has worked towards spreading awareness of the Right to Information Act and its execution, was earlier in 2000 awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership.

She has also founded the 'Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan'. (ANI)