The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has recently highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhuyday Yojana (PM-AJAY), an extensive initiative amalgamating three Centrally Sponsored Schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY), Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP), and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY). This scheme, put into effect in the 2021-22 fiscal year, is aimed at empowering Scheduled Caste (SC) communities through enhancing employment prospects by means of skill development, income-generating schemes, and several initiatives.
Main Objectives of PM-AJAY
The PM-AJAY was primarily established to alleviate poverty among the SC communities, which would be done by generating additional employment opportunities through skill development, income-generating schemes, and other initiatives. One of its critical objectives is also to boost literacy rates and encourage the enrollment of SC’s in schools and higher educational institutions. This can be accomplished by offering adequate residential facilities in quality institutions across India, particularly in aspirational districts/SC majority blocks.
Components of PM-AJAY
PM-AJAY consists of several components aimed at transforming SC-dominated villages into an ‘AdarshGram’. This segment was formerly known as Pradhan Mantri AdarshGram Yojana (PMAGY). It aims at integrated development of SC-majority villages by providing adequate infrastructure for their socio-economic needs. The scheme focuses on improving socio-economic indicators across ten domains which includes Drinking water and Sanitation, Education, Health and Nutrition, Social Security, Rural Roads and Housing, Electricity and Clean fuel, Agricultural Practices, Financial Inclusion, Digitization, and Livelihood and Skill Development.
Achievements of the PM-AGAY Scheme
Under the PM-AGAY scheme, a total of 1834 villages have been declared as Adarsh Gram during the current fiscal year 2023-24. It also includes ‘Grants-in-aid’ for District/State-level Projects that aim at the socio-economic development of SCs. These grants are provided for comprehensive livelihood projects that produce sustainable income or social advancement to the SCs.
Special Provisions Under PM-AJAY
Special Provisions under the scheme include up to 15% of the total grants exclusively on viable income-generating economic development schemes/programmes for SC Women. Up to 30% of the total grants are utilized for infrastructure development with at least 10% of the total funds allocated for skill development. The scheme also aims to promote SC Women Cooperatives engaged in the production and marketing of consumer goods and services.
Construction of Hostels in Higher Educational Institutions
The PM-AJAY also includes the construction of hostels in higher educational institutions. This helps in enabling and encouraging SC students to attain quality education and reduce dropout rate. The cost norms for the construction/expansion of hostels differ based on the region. For example, in the North Eastern Region, it is Rs.3.50 lakh per inmate, Northern Himalayan Regions it’s Rs.3.25 lakh per inmate and Gangetic Plains & Lower Himalayan Region Rs3.00 lakh per inmate. During the FY 2023-24, a total of 15 new hostels have been sanctioned under this provision.
Previous Year Questions from UPSC Civil Services Examination
Some of the notable questions from previous years of the UPSC Civil Services Examination on this topic include “In 2001, RGI stated that Dalits who converted to Islam or Christianity are not a single ethnic group as they belong to different caste groups. Therefore, they cannot be included in the list of Scheduled Castes (SC) as per Clause (2) of Article 341, which requires a single ethnic group for inclusion.” (2014). Another question was “Whether the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine.” (2018)