India’s PM-AJAY scheme develops villages and hostels
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The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in India reported that 18,093 villages have been designated as ‘Adarsh Grams’, model villages, through the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana, or PM-AJAY.
This scheme aims to improve infrastructure and services in villages with large Scheduled Caste populations, working to reduce disparities and meet basic needs. The program has covered over 47,200 villages across the country, benefiting more than 4.77 million citizens.
The PM-AJAY scheme has three main parts: developing Adarsh Grams, providing grants for socio-economic projects at the state and district levels, and building or repairing student hostels. States and Union Territories receive direct funding, ₹1,730 crore was released from 2021-22 to 2025-26, to support livelihood projects and skill development, reaching over 250,000 people. Additionally, 785 student hostels have been completed under the scheme as of September 2026, providing accommodation and educational opportunities, especially for students from rural areas.
The government allocated ₹61.46 crore for two new hostels in 2026-27, with space for 264 students. To improve oversight, the ministry launched a mobile application and portal for real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making.
