What is Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana?

A scheme was launched by the Government of India for the growth & development of the villages. They named the scheme “Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana”. This scheme aims to give financial support to the villages. Meanwhile, the villages must have more than 50% residents of the scheduled caste.

In 2009-10, on a pilot basis, this scheme was launched. During the pilot phase- I, there was 1000 villages. They were selected across the country. It included Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Assam & Himachal Pradesh. All these villages came to be known as Adarsh Gram.

At the same time in 2014-15, the scheme extended phase-I to cover 11 states with another 1500 villages. These states include

• Assam,
• Chhattisgarh,
• Haryana,
• Andra Pradesh
• Jharkhand,
• Karnataka,
• Odisha,
• Madhya Pradesh,
• Punjab,
• Uttar Pradesh &
• Telangana.

From March 2015, the funding of these villages was started and continued until 2019-20. The states were given the total of RS. 346.85 CR as a central share.

The vision of an “Adarsh Gram” (Model Village)

The “Adarsh gram” aims to provide various basic services. They will be accessible to the people. This will help them to meet the least needs of all the sections of society. Also, it will reduce differences to the smallest in different sections of society.

The objective of the scheme

1. To ensure integrated development of the villages selected, so that there is:

• Under the scheme, to ensure proper framework development is required for socio-economic development.
• To improve socio-economic indicators.
• To decline the difference between the non-SC & SC population.
• To raise the level of signs to at least that of a national average.
• Specifically, for all BPL SC families to provide livelihood and food security. Also, complete education for SC children up to secondary level.
• To address all the leading factors for maternity and infant mortality.
• To end all the incidence of malnutrition, especially in children and women.

2.  To check 10 domains listed below for the village people:

• Education
• Social Security
• Health Nutrition
• Clean fuel and Electricity
• Housing and Rural Road
• Financial Inclusion
• Digitalization
• Livelihood and Skill Development
• Agricultural Practices
• Sanitization and Drinking Water

3. To end untouchables, segregation, injustice and horribleness against SCs.
4. Desertion of other social evils like substance and alcohol use. Also, to end injustice against, women or girls, etc.
5. Dignity, equality, and harmony living with all the sections of the society.

Features of this scheme

The following are the features of Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojna:

• Under this scheme, the villages will be provided with many growth plans.
• The scheme includes the plans which are Pradhan Mantri gram Sadak Yojana, Bharat Nirman, Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan, ICDS, etc.
• To get eligible for these programs, the villages must have residents of more than 50% of the SCs.
• The scheme chooses to make a self-sufficient model village. It will be by meeting every public sector with the least requirements.
• The scheme provides the ability required for a better livelihood.

Implementation of the scheme

In 2009-10, on a pilot basis, the PMAGY scheme was launched. It was from the selected geographic regions in the 5 states of the country. Below is the table of implementation:

Components of the scheme

There are two components described under this scheme. Below are the components with sub-components:

1. Component related to the territorial area

• Gap filling,
• Implementing the existing scheme with convergence,

2. Component related to functional area

• Orientation/ training of key personnel for building up of executive machinery,
• Support of technical resources for the scheme,
• Publicity and generating awareness,
• Management information system (MIS),
• Awards for best performing villages at state & national level,
• Assessment.

List of schemes for application in PMAGY villages:

Educational Development Schemes

• Provide Pre-Matric Scholarships to children engaged in unclean occupation,
• Scholarships at Post Matric Level,
• “Top class education” Scholarship,
• Scholarship for National Overseas,
• Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship,
• Merit Upgradation.

Economic Development Schemes

• Scheme for self-employment for improvement of manual scavengers,
• Schedule caste sub-plan (SCSP) with special central assistance,
• National schedule castes finance and development corporation,
• State development corporation for schedule castes,
• National safai karamcharis finance and development corporation.

Social Empowerment and Other Schemes

Implementation of schemes in PCR Act, 1955 and SC and ST act, 1989,

Help to voluntary organizations working for the welfare of SCs.

Award at the national level for outstanding work. It is in opposing outrageous behavior and untouchability against SCs.