The State has some reason to cheer about for regaining its distinct status in decentralised governance, planning, and development in the country. The Union Panchayati Raj Ministry has, after a gap of two years, conferred the Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS) award for 2014 on Kerala. Kerala had to be satisfied with the second position in 2013 and third in 2012. The alleged failure of the State in apprising the Centre of its major initiatives for strengthening and institutionalising the devolution of powers to local bodies and incremental gains was reported to have cost the State dearly during the two years. Though Kerala had been successively winning the award in 2009-10 and 2010-11, it lost out to Sikkim in 2011-12 and to Karnataka in 2013. – N.J. Nair
