New Delhi, Aug 3 — The Central government is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) to promote the socio-economic development of Scheduled Caste communities, and 47,328 villages have been selected across the country under its Adarsh Gram Component, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, in a written reply to Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi in the Rajya Sabha, informed out of the 47,328 villages selected across the country under the Adarsh Gram Component of PM-AJAY 435 are in Telangana.
The Minister of State said that the Adarsh Gram Component focuses on the integrated development of selected villages through the saturation of 50 monitorable socio-economic indicators across 10 development sectors, including education.
A Need Assessment Survey is conducted to establish the baseline status of these indicators. The identified gaps are addressed through convergence with Central and State Government schemes or through interventions supported under PM-AJAY, he said.
The progress made by States and Union Territories is regularly updated through the PMAGY Portal, said Athawale.
He said across the country, 3.28 lakh development works and 1.10 crore beneficiaries have been identified under the scheme. Of these, 46,642 development works have been completed, while 47.59 lakh beneficiaries have already been saturated through various interventions.
About Telangana, the written reply stated that under the education sector, 3,529 beneficiaries have been identified, of whom 472 beneficiaries have already received benefits under the scheme.
Replying to a query regarding third-party audit, Athawale informed that States and Union Territories have been directed to verify the self-declaration of Adarsh Gram villages under the PM-AJAY Adarsh Gram Component. Accordingly, validation is being undertaken by the respective State and UT Governments.
The PM-AJAY Adarsh Gram Component continues to promote inclusive and sustainable rural development by improving access to education, infrastructure, livelihoods and essential services, thereby contributing to the socio-economic empowerment of Scheduled Caste communities across the country, he said.