Over 47,000 villages selected under PM-AJAY Adarsh Gram initiative; Telangana accounts for 435 villages
The Centre has identified more than 3.28 lakh development works under the PM-AJAY Adarsh Gram Component, with over 47.59 lakh beneficiaries already covered. Telangana has 435 selected villages and 472
Based on the survey findings, development gaps are addressed either through convergence with existing central and state government schemes or through interventions funded directly under PM-AJAY.
NEW DELHI: The Union government has selected 47,328 villages across the country, including 435 in Telangana, under the Adarsh Gram Component of the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY), a flagship programme aimed at accelerating the socio-economic development of Scheduled Caste communities through integrated village development.
The details were shared by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale in a written reply to a question by Rajya Sabha member Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi.
The PM-AJAY Adarsh Gram Component seeks to transform selected villages by ensuring saturation of key socio-economic indicators through convergence of central and state government welfare schemes while addressing critical development gaps. The initiative focuses on improving living standards and expanding access to essential public services in villages with a significant Scheduled Caste population.
According to the Ministry, the scheme is built around 50 monitorable socio-economic indicators spanning 10 sectors, including education, health, sanitation, drinking water, housing, livelihoods, infrastructure and social development. A comprehensive need assessment survey is carried out in every selected village to establish the baseline status of these indicators.
Based on the survey findings, development gaps are addressed either through convergence with existing central and state government schemes or through interventions funded directly under PM-AJAY. Progress made by states and union territories is continuously monitored and updated through the PMAGY Portal.
The government informed Parliament that 3,28,131 development works have been identified across the selected villages, covering a total of 1,10,51,213 beneficiaries. Of these, 46,642 development works have already been completed, benefiting 47,59,399 people.
In Telangana, 435 villages have been selected under the Adarsh Gram Component. In the education sector alone, 3,529 beneficiaries have been identified, while 472 beneficiaries have already received assistance under the scheme.
Responding to a query on quality assurance and monitoring, the government said States and Union Territories have been directed to verify the self-declaration of Adarsh Gram status under the PM-AJAY Adarsh Gram Component. The verification process is intended to ensure that villages achieve the prescribed socio-economic benchmarks before being recognised as Adarsh Grams.
The PM-AJAY scheme forms part of the Centre’s broader strategy to promote inclusive growth by strengthening infrastructure, expanding access to public services and improving socio-economic outcomes for Scheduled Caste communities through targeted, village-level interventions.
