Sarkari Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) – Adarsh Gram
About Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) – Adarsh Gram
Under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the “Adarsh Gram” component of Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) works toward the integrated development of villages where Scheduled Castes make up over 40% of a population of at least 500, mainly by bringing existing Central and State Government schemes together so that residents get access to quality services and infrastructure. Each selected village receives Gap-filling funding of ₹20,00,000 for infrastructure work, plus a further ₹1,00,000 for administrative costs such as capacity building, awareness generation, need assessment, and preparing the Village Development Plan. The component works toward saturating 50 socio-economic monitorable indicators spread across 10 domains — 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.
Scheme Overview
Central Government
Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment
Scheme Details
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) - Adarsh Gram, applicants must satisfy the following conditions:
The village's Scheduled Caste population must exceed 40%…
The village's Scheduled Caste population must exceed 40% according to the latest available Census.
Total population, per the latest Census, must be…
Total population, per the latest Census, must be at least 500.
The village must be willing to converge implementation…
The village must be willing to converge implementation with other Central and State Government schemes.
A Village Level Convergence Committee, headed by the…
A Village Level Convergence Committee, headed by the Sarpanch or Pradhan, must be formed.
The village must complete a Need Assessment covering…
The village must complete a Need Assessment covering all 50 monitorable indicators across the 10 development domains.
A comprehensive Village Development Plan must be prepared…
A comprehensive Village Development Plan must be prepared via the online portal https://pmagy.gov.in.
The Gram Sabha must approve the Village Development…
The Gram Sabha must approve the Village Development Plan.
The District Level Project Appraisal cum Convergence Committee…
The District Level Project Appraisal cum Convergence Committee must also approve the Village Development Plan.
The village must commit to spending the Gap-filling…
The village must commit to spending the Gap-filling funds within 2 years of release.
It must further agree to continue convergent implementation…
It must further agree to continue convergent implementation for 3 more years after the fund-utilization period ends. Selection Process Villages are picked in descending order of their Scheduled Caste population share. Priority Villages with 40% or less SC population but a large absolute number of SC residents are taken up only after all eligible villages above 40% SC population have been covered.
Benefits Provided
Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) - Adarsh Gram provides the following benefits to eligible applicants:
Gap-filling Fund:
₹20,00,000/- for each newly selected village, to meet infrastructure needs that convergence with other schemes cannot address.- Administrative Expenses: ₹1,00,000/- per village, covering technical support, training and capacity building, awareness generation, publicity, and building/maintaining the Management Information System.- Additional Round Funding: After 5 years, a further ₹9,50,000/- per village for Gap-filling and ₹50,000/- for administrative costs support continued development.- Convergence Support: Villages can draw in 3 to 4 times the Gap-filling amount from other Central and State schemes, or matching State grants.- Infrastructure Development: Covers drinking water, sanitation, education, health, rural roads, housing, and electricity, among the infrastructure necessary for socio-economic progress.- Capacity Building: Training and orientation for Village Level Convergence Committee members and other functionaries. Disbursement
Funds move directly to State Governments and UT…
Funds move directly to State Governments and UT Administrations, and from there to District Administrations.
Two instalments are released — the first (₹80,000/-…
Two instalments are released — the first (₹80,000/- or ₹40,000/-, as applicable) immediately once villages are selected; the second (₹20,00,000/- or ₹9,50,000/-, as applicable) once the Village Development Plan is finalised.
Administrative expenses go out at the start of…
Administrative expenses go out at the start of the financial year; Gap-filling funds follow Village Development Plan approval.
Gap-filling funds must be spent within 2 years…
Gap-filling funds must be spent within 2 years of release, with convergent implementation continuing for a further 3 years. Conditions
Villages must stay Open Defecation Free and score…
Villages must stay Open Defecation Free and score at least 70 on monitorable indicators to be declared Adarsh Gram.
The Village Level Convergence Committee must handle Need…
The Village Level Convergence Committee must handle Need Assessment, data collection, gap analysis, and prepare the Village Development Plan online.
The Village Development Plan needs sign-off from both…
The Village Development Plan needs sign-off from both the Gram Sabha and the District Level Convergence Committee.
State Governments and UT Administrations must ensure 3…
State Governments and UT Administrations must ensure 3 to 4 times the Gap-filling amount is converged from other schemes.
Monthly progress on meeting infrastructure and individual needs…
Monthly progress on meeting infrastructure and individual needs must be reported using prescribed formats.
The Gram Sabha must conduct a social audit…
The Gram Sabha must conduct a social audit at least once a year for transparency and better fund use.
Progress must be updated in real time on…
Progress must be updated in real time on the centralized Management Information System portal.
Utilization certificates must be submitted in the prescribed…
Utilization certificates must be submitted in the prescribed formats as per the General Financial Rules 2017.
Documents Required
Applicants should keep the following documents ready before starting the application:
During Application
Latest Census data proof showing Scheduled Caste population…
Latest Census data proof showing Scheduled Caste population percentage and total population.
Village demographic profile with household-wise survey data
Village demographic profile with household-wise survey data.
Baseline data for all 50 monitorable indicators across…
Baseline data for all 50 monitorable indicators across the 10 development domains.
Village boundary map and geographic information
Village boundary map and geographic information.
List of all Scheduled Caste members in the…
List of all Scheduled Caste members in the Gram Panchayat.
Resolution constituting the Village Level Convergence Committee
Resolution constituting the Village Level Convergence Committee.
Need Assessment Report in Formats I, II, III-A,…
Need Assessment Report in Formats I, II, III-A, and III-B, per the portal's requirements. During Village Development Plan Approval
Comprehensive Village Development Plan generated via the online…
Comprehensive Village Development Plan generated via the online portal.
Gram Sabha resolution approving the Village Development Plan
Gram Sabha resolution approving the Village Development Plan.
Gap analysis report covering all monitorable indicators
Gap analysis report covering all monitorable indicators.
Convergence plan showing linkage with other Central and…
Convergence plan showing linkage with other Central and State Government schemes.
Action plan for infrastructure and individual needs (Formats…
Action plan for infrastructure and individual needs (Formats IV and V).
Baseline status report for all 50 monitorable indicators…
Baseline status report for all 50 monitorable indicators (Format VI). During Fund Release
Approval certificate from the District Level Project Appraisal…
Approval certificate from the District Level Project Appraisal cum Convergence Committee.
Bank account details of the Implementing Agency
Bank account details of the Implementing Agency.
Utilization certificate for previous instalments (if applicable)
Utilization certificate for previous instalments (if applicable).
Progress report on Need Assessment and Village Development…
Progress report on Need Assessment and Village Development Plan preparation. During Progress Monitoring
Monthly progress reports on meeting infrastructure and individual…
Monthly progress reports on meeting infrastructure and individual needs.
Updated status of all 50 monitorable indicators
Updated status of all 50 monitorable indicators.
Photographic evidence of completed works
Photographic evidence of completed works.
Social audit reports conducted by the Gram Sabha
Social audit reports conducted by the Gram Sabha.
Progress reports on convergence implementation
Progress reports on convergence implementation.
How to Apply
Online Application
Applicants can apply for Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) - Adarsh Gram through the online application process outlined below.
Village Selection and Committee Formation - Confirm eligibility…
Village Selection and Committee Formation
Confirm eligibility on the web portal https://pmagy.gov.in checking for villages with more than 40% Scheduled Caste population and a total population of 500 or more.
Form a Village Level Convergence Committee headed by the Sarpanch, bringing in all Scheduled Caste Gram Panchayat members, Anganwadi Workers, ASHA workers, and line officials.
Complete village registration on the centralized Management Information System portal, including committee composition and demographic details.
Need Assessment and Data Collection - Have the…
Need Assessment and Data Collection
Have the Village Level Convergence Committee run a household-wise survey covering all 50 socio-economic monitorable indicators across the 10 domains.
Enter the data into Format I for village-level data, Format II for infrastructural needs, and Format III-A for family and individual needs.
Complete Format III-B, which consolidates all family and individual needs at the village level along with the gap analysis.
Village Development Plan Preparation and Approval - Let…
Village Development Plan Preparation and Approval
Let the portal auto-generate a comprehensive Village Development Plan from the data entered in the required formats. Present the full plan — covering infrastructure development, convergence planning, and Gap-filling needs — to the Gram Sabha for formal approval.
Secure the Gram Sabha resolution approving the plan, and upload both the approved plan and the resolution to the online portal.
District Level Appraisal and Fund Release - Send…
District Level Appraisal and Fund Release
Send the Gram Sabha-approved Village Development Plan to the District Level Project Appraisal cum Convergence Committee for technical appraisal and final sign-off.
Receive the first instalment of ₹80,000/- for administrative expenses once the village is selected, to kick off capacity building and awareness work.
Get the full Gap-filling fund of ₹20,00,000/- released, preferably in a single instalment, after District Level Committee approval.
Implementation and Progress Monitoring - Carry out the…
Implementation and Progress Monitoring
Carry out the approved infrastructure works using Gap-filling funds within 2 years, while converging with other Central and State schemes.
Update monthly progress on infrastructure and individual needs through Formats IV and V, with real-time scoring recorded in Format VI.
Run an annual social audit through the Gram Sabha, and submit progress reports, utilization certificates, and photographic evidence via the online portal.
Exclusions / Who Is Not Eligible
- Villages not meeting minimum Scheduled Caste population criteria of 40% or total population criteria of 500 are not eligible.
- Villages unwilling to participate in convergence implementation are excluded.
- Villages unable to constitute Village Level Convergence Committee are not eligible.
Official Application & Website
Verify the latest eligibility, dates and instructions before applying.