The government continues its efforts to improve the socio-economic status of Scheduled Caste communities, as part of this initiative, 47,316 villages across India have been covered under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana’ (PM-AJAY), benefiting 4,759,399 citizens.
Under the Adarsh Gram component of this scheme, 46,782 development works have been completed, and 24,133 village development plans have been prepared. So far, 16,759 villages have been declared ‘Adarsh Grams’ following improvements in infrastructure, basic services, and the quality of life.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has allocated ₹22.50 crore for the year 2026-27 for three hostel projects (including two hostels for girls) aimed at providing accommodation facilities for 750 Scheduled Caste students. Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar stated that the objective of PM-AJAY is to reduce socio-economic disparities through community participation, livelihood support, education, and infrastructure development.
This scheme comprises three main components: ‘Adarsh Gram’ for village development, ‘Grants-in-Aid’ for livelihood and skill development activities, and ‘Hostel Assistance’ to improve access to education for SC students. The Ministry is implementing PM-AJAY through digital platforms such as the PM-AJAY portal and the AJAY mobile application to ensure transparent monitoring of projects, tracking of funds, and geo-tagged reporting.
(PIB)
