President Murmu confers Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 19 kids

• President Droupadi Murmu presented Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 19 children at a function held in New Delhi on January 22. 

• The awards were given to 19 children — nine boys and 10 girls — from 18 states and Union Territories.

The President presented the awards in six categories:

i) Art and culture (7)

ii) Bravery (1)

iii) Innovation (1)

iv) Science and technology (1)

v) Social service (4)

vi) Sports (5).

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

• The government of India has been conferring awards to children for their exceptional achievement.

These awards were given in the following categories:

i) National Child Award for Exceptional Achievements - since 1996

ii) National Child Welfare Award (individual) - since 1979

iii) National Child Welfare Award (institution) - since 1979

iv) Rajiv Gandhi Manav Sewa Award - since 1994.

• During 2017-18, the scheme of awards was reviewed and the government introduced these awards under the name of “Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar”. 

These Awards were given under the following categories:

i) Bal Shakti Puraskar (earlier known as National Child Award)

ii) Bal Kalyan Puraskar (earlier known as National Child Welfare Award).

• In 2022, the category of Bal Shakti Puraskar was subsumed under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.

Eligibility criteria: 

• Age limit: A child who is an Indian citizen and residing in India and is above the age of five and not exceeding 18.

• The achievement should not be one-off but carried out over a period of time. The achievements should be indicative of the child’s passion in the respective field and suggestive of a bright future in a particular field.

• The applications received are first scrutinised by a screening committee, and the final selection is done by the National Selection Committee.

• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar are to be given to children with exceptional abilities and outstanding achievements in the fields of innovation, scholastic, sports, arts & culture, social service and bravery which deserve recognition.

• The name of awardees are announced on December 26 of every year on the occasion of ‘Veer Bal Diwas’.

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