New Delhi, July 18 (IANS): The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) continues to strengthen the socio-economic empowerment of Scheduled Caste communities through poverty reduction, livelihood generation and infrastructure development, according to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The ministry said the scheme’s Adarsh Gram component has covered 47,316 villages, benefiting 47,59,399 citizens across the country. A total of 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 Adarsh Grams, reflecting significant progress in improving infrastructure, basic services and overall quality of life in Scheduled Caste-majority villages.
Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar said PM-AJAY plays a crucial role in addressing socio-economic disparities through focused interventions and collaborative efforts aimed at empowering Scheduled Caste communities and promoting inclusive growth. The scheme supports integrated village development, livelihood generation, skill development and educational access through its various components. The ministry has also allocated Rs 22.50 crore in FY27 for the construction of three hostel projects, including two for girls, benefiting 750 students. To improve transparency and monitoring, the government has implemented a digital governance framework through the PM-AJAY Portal and AJAY Mobile Application, enabling end-to-end online management of village development plans, fund tracking, beneficiary monitoring and geo-tagged reporting.