The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY), a fully centrally funded scheme designed to address development gaps faced by Scheduled Castes (SCs), who make up 16.6% of India’s population. The scheme, which began in FY 2021-22, consolidates three earlier central schemes into one integrated framework. It operates through digital platforms including a mobile app and web portal to streamline administration and improve transparency.
Key facts
- PM-AJAY is 100% centrally funded with no mandatory state contribution
- Launched in FY 2021-22 by merging Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan, and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana
- As of September 2026, 47,243 villages covered under the scheme, benefiting 47.79 lakh citizens
- 18,093 villages declared as Adarsh Grams (model villages) as on 8 September 2026
- 46,944 development works completed and 27,032 Village Development Plans prepared
- More than Rs 1,730 crore released to states from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26
- 785 student hostels completed; Rs 61.46 crore allocated for FY 2026-27 for two new hostel projects
- Skilling and livelihood support extended to over 2.5 lakh individual and group beneficiaries
- Income eligibility for individual beneficiaries: annual income not exceeding Rs 2.50 lakh
- Village eligibility for infrastructure grants: 40% or more SC population and minimum 500 total population
What the scheme aims to achieve
PM-AJAY pursues three main objectives. First, it seeks to reduce poverty among SC communities by creating employment through skill development and income-generating activities. Second, it aims to improve socio-economic indicators by developing essential infrastructure and services in SC-dominated areas. Third, it promotes education by increasing school and higher education enrolment through provision of residential facilities in quality institutions, particularly in aspirational districts and SC-majority blocks.
Three main components
The scheme operates through distinct components addressing different development needs. The Adarsh Gram component transforms SC-majority villages into model villages by filling infrastructure gaps and ensuring access to basic services. An Adarsh Gram is defined as a village where all sections of society have access to essential services, minimum needs are fully met, and disparities are reduced. The grants-in-aid component provides financial assistance to states and districts for socio-economic projects, including livelihood enhancement, infrastructure creation and educational support. The hostel component supports construction and repair of student accommodations to enable SC students from rural and remote areas to access quality education.
Who can access the scheme
Under the grants-in-aid component, families with annual income not exceeding Rs 2.50 lakh per annum are prioritised. SC members of SC majority groups are eligible. For infrastructure development, villages with 40% or more SC population and a total population of at least 500 are eligible for grants.
Funding structure
The scheme allocates funds as follows: up to 50% for gap-filling activities in selected Adarsh Gram villages; up to 5% for administrative costs including technical support and project implementation units at central, state and district levels; up to 2% for hostel construction and repair at central institutions; and the remaining funds as grants to states and districts, allocated based on SC population and state-level SCSP ratios. States and union territories may supplement with additional resources if required. After project completion, state governments and implementing agencies are responsible for maintenance and operations.
Digital implementation
To improve governance and transparency, the scheme now operates through a mobile app and web portal that enable end-to-end digital workflows and real-time processing. This transition from paper-based systems aims to strengthen monitoring, enhance information access and support data-driven decision-making across implementation units.
What this means for you
If you belong to a SC family with income below Rs 2.50 lakh annually, you may access livelihood and skill development programmes. If you are an SC student in a rural or remote area seeking hostel accommodation to pursue education, your state may have completed or be constructing hostels under this scheme. If you live in an SC-majority village with over 40% SC population, your village may be eligible for infrastructure development under the Adarsh Gram initiative. Beneficiaries can access scheme details and apply through the PM-AJAY mobile app and portal.