Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme being implemented since 2021-22. Broadly, the Scheme has three components namely (i) ‘Adarsh Gram’, (ii) ‘Grants-in-aid for District/State-level Projects for Socio-Economic betterment of Scheduled Caste (SC) Communities’ and (iii) ‘Hostel’

The objectives of the Scheme are:

(i) To improve socio-economic developmental indicators by ensuring adequate infrastructure and requisite services in the SC dominated villages.

(ii) To reduce poverty of the SC communities by generation of additional employment opportunities through skill development, income generating schemes and other initiatives.

(iii) To increase literacy and encourage enrolment of SCs in schools and higher educational institutions by providing adequate residential facilities in quality institutions, as well as residential schools where required, especially in the aspirational districts/ SC dominated blocks and elsewhere in India.

Construction of hostels under PM-AJAY is one of the means to enable and encourage students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) to attain quality education. Such hostels are beneficial for providing residential facilities to the students hailing from rural and remote areas of the country. Priority is given to regions where there is domination of the SC population, especially in areas lacking adequate hostel facilities for SC students.

Till now, 867 hostels have been sanctioned and 69,795 beneficiaries have availed hostel facilities.

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT, SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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VM

(Lok Sabha US Q1228)

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