Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhuyday Yojana (PM- AJAY) is a merged scheme of Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented since 2021-2022 with an aim to reduce poverty of the Scheduled Caste (SC) community.
The 3 scheme were,
- Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
- Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan ( SCA to SCSP)
- Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana(BJRCY).
The scheme is implemented through the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment(MoSJ&E).
Background:
Since the objectives and interventions of PMAGY; SCA to SCSP; and BJRCY were similar and these schemes were implemented by a common implementing agency for the most part, these schemes were merged into a one scheme named “Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhuyday Yojana (PM- AJAY) (from 2021-2022) for better convergence of public money and optimal utilisation of resources.
Objectives:
- To reduce poverty of the SC communities by generation of additional employment through skill development, income generating schemes and other initiatives.
- To improve socio-economic developmental indicators by ensuring adequate infrastructure and requisite services in the SC dominated villages.
- To increase literacy and encourage enrolment of SCs in schools and higher educational institutions and offer residential schools in the aspirational districts/ SC dominated blocks.
Three components of PM- AJAY:
i.Development of SC dominated villages into an “Adarsh Gram”.
ii.‘Grants-in-aid’ for District/State-level Projects for socio-economic betterment of SCs. This includes
- creation of infrastructure in SC dominated villages
- construction of Hostels/Residential schools
- Comprehensive Livelihood Projects such as Skill development, related infrastructure development, financial assistance, etc,.
iii.The construction of hostels in higher educational institutions and schools that are funded by the Centre/State/UT Governments.
About Adarsh Gram Component (erstwhile scheme of PMAGY)
Objective:
To ensure integrated development of SC majority villages so that there is Adequate infrastructure, All requisite infrastructure necessary for socio-economic development needs are to be provided under the Scheme. Improvement in Socio-Economic Indicators.
The identified socio-economic indicators (Monitorable indicators) should be improved to eliminate disparity between SC and non-SC population.
About Grants-in-aid for District/State-level Projects for Socio-Economic betterment of SCs (erstwhile scheme SCA to SCSP)
Comprehensive Livelihood Projects: These projects aims to create an entire system for generating sustainable income or social advancement for SCs. They should preferably combine two or more of the following components:
- Skill Development: skilling courses that meet the standards of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) including skill development institutions.
- Grants for creating or acquiring assets for beneficiaries/households: Financial assistance towards loans taken by beneficiaries to create or acquire assets needed for livelihood generation, up to a maximum of Rs. 50,000 or 50% of the asset cost, whichever is less.
- Infrastructure Development: Development of infrastructure related to the project, as well as hostels and residential schools.
Other Infrastructure: Various other infrastructure development projects in SC majority villages.
Special Provisions:
i.Upto 15% of the total Grants exclusively on viable income generating economic development schemes/programme for SC Women.
ii.Upto 30% of the total Grants utilized for infrastructure development
iii.Atleast 10% of the total funds for skill development
iv.Promote SC Women Cooperatives engaged in production and marketing of consumer goods and services.
Achievements during FY 2022-2023:
i.Under the Adarsh Gram component, a total of 1260 villages have been declared as Adarsh Gram during the current FY 2023-24.
ii.A total of 9 new hostels have been sanctioned under the Hostel component of the scheme.
iii.Perspective plan for 7 States have been approved under Grant-in-aid component during the current financial year.
