About Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
With a view to enabling an area-based development approach, a new scheme Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY) was launched during 2009-10. The Scheme aims at integrated development of Scheduled Castes majority villages.
Objective Of This Scheme
The principal objective of PMAGY is the integrated development of SC-majority Villages:
- (a) Primarily through the convergent implementation of the relevant Central and State/UT Government Schemes; and
- (b) By taking up identified activities, which do not get covered under the existing Central and State Government Schemes, through ‘Gap-filling’ funds provided as Central Assistance to the extent of ₹20,00,000 per village.
The vision of an ‘Adarsh Gram’
An ‘Adarsh Gram’ is one wherein people have access to various basic services so that the minimum needs of all the sections of society are fully met and disparities are reduced to a minimum. These villages would have all such infrastructure and their residents will have access to all such basic services that are necessary for a dignified living, creating thereby an environment in which everyone is enabled to utilize her/his potential to the fullest.
Eligibility Criteria
Out of the villages having more than 50% SC population, only those with a total population greater than 500 will be eligible for selection in descending order of their SC population in the first instance under the Scheme.
(As per the Census 2011, there are 46844 villages having more than 50% Scheduled Castes population. These villages are spread over 570 districts of 25 States & UTs.)
Benefits
Physical Infrastructure
1. Should be connected to the nearest major road by an all-weather road. Likewise, in the case of a multi-hamlet village, all hamlets should be connected with each other by an all-weather road.
2. Access for all to safe drinking water on a sustainable basis.
3. All houses should have electricity.
4. The village should have slush-free internal roads and adequate street lighting.
5. The village should have adequate communication facilities, such as post-office, telephones, and, if possible, internet, and Bharat Nirman Common Service Centre (being established by the Deptt. of Information Technology).
6. Availability of adequate banking facilities through regular (brick and mortar) branches in the village or in close proximity, and through the Business Correspondent/Business Facilitator Model.
7. All residents should have adequate housing, and there should be no homeless families.
Sanitation and Environment
1. The village should have a high degree of sanitation- it should be free from dry latrines, and open defecation, and should have sanitary toilets, drains, and an efficient waste disposal system. It should, as far as possible, fulfill “Nirmal Gram Puraskar” norms.
2. The Village should take care of its environment through (1) planting trees, (2) water harvest action and maintenance of water bodies (3) use of renewable sources of energy, such as biogas, solar energy, wind energy, use of smokeless chulhas, etc.
Social Infrastructure, Human Development, and Social Harmony
1. Should have an Anganwadi center and schools of appropriate levels.
2. The village should have adequate and attractive buildings for its Anganwadi, school, health center, panchayat, and community hall. The village should have adequate facilities for sports and other physical activities.
3. All children in the age group of 3-6 should be enrolled in, and regularly attend the Anganwadi. Likewise, all children in the 6-14 age group should be enrolled in, and regularly attend school.
4. All adults should be at least functionally literate and should have access to facilities for continuing education.
5. Access for all to primary health care and Reproductive Child Health (RCH) facilities, with proper pre-natal and ante-natal care for mothers.
6. 100% institutional deliveries, full immunization of children, and observance of the small family norm.
7. The village as a community should take special care of its women, children (especially girls), senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.
8. There should be no public consumption of liquor or any other intoxicating substances, and their use, in general, should be discouraged.
9. The village should have an active Gram Sabha/Gram Panchayat, women’s/swarozgaris’ Self-help Group, youth club, and Mahila Mandal.
10. There should be no caste-based discrimination, complete eradication of untouchability, and a due sense of security and dignity among the weaker sections.
11. Residents of the village should be aware of and exercise their constitutional and legal rights. Likewise, they should also be aware of and discharge their fundamental and civic duties.
Livelihood
1. All youth and adults of the village should have adequate employment and means of livelihood, and there should be adequate arrangements for the development of skills among them so that as many of them as possible are in skilled employment.
2. Progressive and efficient practices, based on new technology, should be used in all the economic activities pursued in the village, especially in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, etc.
3. Should have adequate access to remunerative prices for agricultural and other products of the village.