Home Ministry to announce first National Unity award on Sardar Patel's birth anniv

New Delhi:The Union Home Ministry will announce the first National Unity Award on the birth anniversary of India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31.The Government  had instituted the 'Sardar Patel  National Unity Award' for outstanding  contribution by an individual, group or institution for the unity and integrity of India, the Home Ministry said here in September. 

The Home Ministry instituted this award in the line of the Padma Award for National Unity.

The award shall  be conferred by the President with a citation presented by him in a presentation ceremony along with the Padma award  ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhawan, a Gazette notification on September 20 said.

This decoration would consist of a medal and a citation. No monetary grant or cash award would be attached to this Award."Not more than three Awards would be given in a year. It would not be conferred posthumously except in very rare and highly deserving cases," the notification further said.(UNI)