National News

PM-AJAY - Adarsh Gram Development

October 19 , 2026 8 hrs 0 min 44 0

Under the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY), 18,093 villages were declared Adarsh Grams as of 8 September 2026.
The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to improve the socio-economic and educational conditions of Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.
More than 47,200 villages have been covered, benefiting over 47.79 lakh people, with 46,944 development works completed.
Around ₹1,730 crore was released to States under the Grants-in-Aid component from 2021–22 to 2025–26, supporting livelihood and skill development for over 2.5 lakh beneficiaries.
The scheme has three components: Adarsh Gram development, Grants-in-Aid for socio-economic projects, and construction and repair of student hostels.