Exponential growth in nominations for Padma Awards after process made online
Apr 27, 2022
New Delhi [India], April 27 : The online nomination process has resulted in an exponential increase in the nominations received for the Padma Awards, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday.
The MHA has released its annual report 2020-21 on Wednesday. The report reads that the government has received 38,961 nominations for Padma Awards in the year 2020 as compared to 2,311 nominations received in the year 2015 when the process was offline.
It further reads that prior to the year 2016, nominations for Padma Awards were received offline i.e in hard copies. In order to make the nomination process simple and accessible to common citizens, nominations for Padma Awards are invited through online mode from the year 2016.
A large number of Padma Awardees now are unsung heroes selected from every nook and corner of the country. Nominations for Padma Awards are also received every year from state governments, UT administrations, Ministries /Departments of the Central government, Institutes of Excellence and recipients of the Bharat Ratna/ Padma Vibhushan Award.
Besides these, a large number of recommendations are also received suo-moto from several Cabinet Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies, private individuals, organizations etc.
All these recommendations are placed before the Padma Awards Committee for its consideration. The recommendations of the Padma Awards Committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President for their approval and the awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day.
Padma Awards are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are given in different disciplines/ fields of activities viz. art, social work, public affairs, science & engineering, trade & industry, medicine, literature & education, sports, civil service and others.