New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM‑AJAY) continues to strengthen socio‑economic empowerment of Scheduled Caste communities through poverty reduction, livelihood creation and infrastructure improvements, according to the government.
The statement from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said its flagship scheme promotes inclusive development through a technology-enabled and outcome-oriented implementation framework.
The Adarsh Gram component of the PM-AJAY scheme has covered 47,316 villages, benefiting 47,59,399 citizens across the country, the statement said.
A senior ministry official informed that 46,782 development works have been completed, while 24,133 Village Development Plans (VDPs) have been prepared.
As many as 16,759 villages have been declared as Adarsh Grams, reflecting significant progress in improving infrastructure, basic services and quality of life in Scheduled Caste-majority villages, the statement noted.
The ministry has allocated Rs 22.50 crore for FY27 for construction of three hostel projects, including two for girls, to provide accommodation for 750 students.
Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar said that PM-AJAY plays a crucial role in addressing socio-economic disparities through focused interventions, collaborative efforts towards empowering SC individuals and promoting inclusive growth.
The scheme promotes inclusive growth by empowering communities and strengthening grassroots institutions through convergence and community participation, the minister said.
The Adarsh Gram component focuses on integrated development of villages with substantial Scheduled Caste populations through infrastructure creation and community-led planning.
The Grants-in-Aid component supports livelihood generation, skill development and income-enhancing activities, while the Hostel component provides financial assistance for the construction and repair of hostels to improve educational access for Scheduled Caste students.
The ministry has adopted a robust digital governance framework through the PM-AJAY Portal and AJAY Mobile Application, enabling end-to-end online implementation of the scheme.
The platform facilitates Village Development Plan preparation, project appraisal, fund tracking, beneficiary monitoring and geo-tagged reporting, ensuring transparency and effective monitoring at every stage.
—IANS
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