New Delhi: Local self-governments in Kerala have been spearheading development activities at the grassroots for several decades and overall their administrative set-up is well-organised. In a national ranking, 24 village panchayats from the state made it to the top-10 with Kalliyoor panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district and Athirampuzha panchayat in Kottayam district at the sixth spot with a score of 85.
Athirampuzha is within the Nemom block and Athirampuzha is part of the Ettumanoor block in the three-tier system of local self-government in the country.
Rankings of 269 panchayats across the country were declared recently. Twenty-nine panchayats from Kerala made it to the overall list in which most ranks are shared by several local self-government bodies.
The rankings were decided by the central government's Mission Antyodaya based on the implementation of development and infrastructure projects by the gram panchayats.
Molugamboondi in neighbouring Tamil Nadu has topped the 2019 rankings of gram panchayats across the country, with a score of 91. It is located at Arani Block in Tiruvannamalai district.
Bambhaniya in Gujarat secured the second rank, with a score of 89. Four panchayats from Gujarat are tied for the third spot.
Kerala, which has a vibrant local self-government system, has 941 Gram Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 77 Taluks, 87 Municipalities and 6 Municipal Corporations.
Top panchayats from Kerala (with their rank and score)
Kalliyoor and Athirampuzha (6/85)
Kottukal and Alamcode (7/84)
Sasthamkotta, Ezhome, Vechuchira and Kizhuvilam (8/83)
Madayi, Cheruthazham and Punnapra North (9/82)
Elanthoor, Chirakkal, Kolayil, Chirayankeezhu, Ranni, Mynagappally, Chenkal, Malayankeezhu, Tavanur, Vattamkulam, Kilimanoor, Rajakkad and Kuruvilangad (10/81).
