According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 47,243 villages across India have been covered under the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jati Abhyudaya Yojana (PM-AJAY), benefiting 47.79 lakh people. By September 8, 2026, a total of 18,093 villages had been declared ‘Adarsh Gram’ under this scheme.
Under this initiative, 46,944 development projects have been completed, and 27,032 Village Development Plans (VDPs) have been prepared. These aim to improve infrastructure, essential services and enhance living conditions in Scheduled Caste-majority villages.
Rs 1,730 Crore Released to States Under PM-AJAY
Under its ‘Grants-in-Aid’ component, the Centre released around ₹1,730 crore directly to the states between the financial years 2021-22 and 2025-26, supported skill development and livelihood opportunities for over 2.5 lakh individual and group beneficiaries.
The scheme operates through three components: developing Scheduled Caste-majority villages as Adarsh Grams, funding socio-economic projects at State and District levels, and constructing or repairing student hostels.
PM-AJAY aims to power Scheduled Caste communities, through village infrastructure development, livelihood generation, skill training and improved access to education.
PM-AJAY is a fully centrally-funded scheme; however, states and union territories may provide additional resources if needed. Up to 50% of the funds can be utilized to address infrastructure gaps in the selected Adarsh Gram villages.
785 Hostels Completed Under PM-AJAY
By September 2026, 785 student hostels under PM-AJAY had been completed. For the financial year 2026-27, the government has allocated central assistance of ₹61.46 crore for two hostel projects (one for girls and one for boys), which will provide accommodation for 264 students.
The Ministry has also launched the ‘PM-AJAY’ mobile application and portal to fully digitize the implementation of the scheme and enable its real-time monitoring. This initiative aims to enhance transparency, accountability and coordination in the distribution of welfare benefits.
The objective of PM-AJAY is to bridge development gaps and create better opportunities for Scheduled Caste communities through infrastructure, livelihood, and educational support, contributing to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’.
(PIB)
