PM-AJAY Expansion Gets Green Light from Government with Boosted Budget for 2026-31 Period

Prelims-testable facts

• 01The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) was launched in 2021-22.
• 02PM-AJAY is being implemented through its three components— Adarsh Gram, Grants-in-Aid and Hostels —to accelerate the socio-economic development of Scheduled Caste communities across the country.
• 03The Central Government has released ₹ 4,276.62 crores under the scheme up to 2025-26 in 30 states and UTs.
• 04States and Union Territories have reported utilisation of ₹ 3,185.072 crores towards infrastructure creation, livelihood generation and educational support for Scheduled Caste beneficiaries.
• 05Under the Adarsh Gram component, 3,112 villages have been identified since 2018-19, out of which 3,111 villages in Tamil Nadu have been declared Adarsh Gram.
• 06The Development Monitoring And Evaluation Office (DMEO) evaluation concluded that PM-AJAY is well aligned with the Government's objective of inclusive and equitable development.
• 07PM-AJAY aims to reduce poverty among Scheduled Castes through livelihood support, model village development, hostel construction, and digital governance reforms.

Trap alerts

• Most people think PM-AJAY was launched in 2018-19, but actually it was launched in 2021-22.
• Most people think the Central Government has released more funds under PM-AJAY than ₹ 4,276.62 crores up to 2025-26, but actually that is the correct amount.
• Most people think only a few states have benefited from PM-AJAY, but actually it has been implemented in 30 states and UTs.