National Payments Corporation of India
- CONTEXT: National Payments Corporation of India has officially partnered with ACLEDA Bank to launch Unified Payments Interface (UPI) acceptance in Cambodia.
About National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
- NPCI is a not-for-profit organization established by the Reserve Bank of India and the Indian Banks’ Association under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
- It serves as the central body responsible for managing and regulating retail payment and settlement systems across India.
Major Initiatives by NPCI
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- Developed the RuPay card network and interlinked ATM systems nationwide.
- Introduced the Unified Payments Interface for instant digital payments.
- Also operates key systems such as:
- National Electronic Toll Collection (via FASTag)
- Immediate Payment Service
- National Automated Clearing House
- Aadhaar Payment Bridge System
- Overall, NPCI plays a crucial role in strengthening India’s digital payment ecosystem.
About Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
- The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was launched on April 11, 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory oversight of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- UPI is an instant digital payment platform that facilitates real-time transfer of funds directly between bank accounts through mobile devices.
- Regulation: It is managed and operated by the National Payments Corporation of India.
Key Features:
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- Allows immediate fund transfers.
- Available round-the-clock (24×7).
- Supports payments via QR codes.
- Enables both person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions.
National Panchayat Awards 2025
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- Context: The National Panchayat Awards 2025 Conferment Ceremony will be held on 3rd June 2026 in New Delhi.
- A total of 42 outstanding Panchayats from across India will be honoured.
- The winners of the National Panchayat Awards 2025 (NPA-2025) have been announced by the Ministry of Panchayat Raj (MoPR),
Categories of Awards
- Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP):
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- Recognises top-performing Gram Panchayats.
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- Evaluation is based on performance across 9 themes of Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).
- It covers 34 Gram Panchayat Awards.
- Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (NDSPSVP):
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- Awarded to the best-performing Panchayats overall.
- Covers District, Block, and Gram Panchayat levels.
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- It covers 8 Gram panchayat Awards.
Financial Incentives
- Award-winning Panchayats receive monetary rewards ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹5 crore, depending on the category and level.
Scheme and Implementation
- The awards are given under the Incentivization of Panchayats (IoP) Scheme.
- This scheme is a part of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions.
Tamil nadu State Achievement
- Best District Panchayat: Coimbatore secured the 3rd rank, highlighting Tamil Nadu’s strong performance in local governance.
