PM-AJAY scheme: ₹1,730 crore released to states, 2.5 lakh beneficiaries skilled
Synopsis
The Centre's flagship SC welfare scheme PM-AJAY has channelled over ₹1,730 crore to states in five years, declaring 18,093 model villages and completing 785 student hostels — with a new mobile app now digitising the entire workflow. The numbers signal scale, but last-mile delivery and verified beneficiary outcomes will determine whether the consolidation of three legacy schemes has truly moved the needle.
Key Takeaways
₹1,730 crore disbursed to states under PM-AJAY Grants-in-Aid from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 .
Over 2.5 lakh individual and group beneficiaries received skilling and livelihood support.
47,243 villages covered under the Adarsh Gram component, benefiting more than 47.79 lakh citizens .
As of 8 September 2026 , 18,093 villages have been formally declared Adarsh Grams.
785 student hostels completed; ₹61.46 crore allocated for two new hostel projects in FY 2026-27 for 264 students .
New PM-AJAY Mobile App and Portal launched to digitise end-to-end fund processing in real time.
More than ₹1,730 crore has been disbursed directly to states under the Grants-in-Aid component of the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna (PM-AJAY) between FY 2021-22 and FY 2025-26, providing skilling and livelihood support to over 2.5 lakh individual and group beneficiaries, according to an official government factsheet released on Monday, 28 September.
What PM-AJAY Is and How It Works
PM-AJAY is a consolidated scheme formed by merging three erstwhile centrally sponsored programmes — the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY), the Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP), and the Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY). The scheme aims to transform villages with a majority Scheduled Caste (SC) population into 'Adarsh Grams' — model villages — by addressing critical deficits in infrastructure and public services.
The consolidation was designed to eliminate duplication across the three predecessor schemes and channel resources more efficiently toward SC communities, making it one of the Centre's primary instruments for Dalit socio-economic empowerment.
Key Developments on the Ground
According to the government factsheet, the Adarsh Gram component has so far covered 47,243 villages, benefiting more than 47.79 lakh citizens nationwide. A total of 46,944 development works have been completed, and 27,032 Village Development Plans (VDPs) have been prepared.
As of 8 September 2026, 18,093 villages have been formally declared as Adarsh Grams, reflecting measurable progress in upgrading infrastructure, basic services, and quality of life in SC-majority habitations.
Hostel Construction for SC Students
The scheme's hostel component — aimed at enabling Scheduled Caste students to access quality education — has seen 785 student hostels completed as of September 2026. The Centre has allocated ₹61.46 crore in central assistance for FY 2026-27 to fund construction of two new hostel projects — one for girls and one for boys — that will together accommodate 264 students.
Digital Push: Mobile App and Portal Launch
The government has recently launched a dedicated PM-AJAY Mobile App and PM-AJAY Portal, transitioning the scheme from paper-based workflows to end-to-end digital processing in real time. The move is intended to improve transparency, speed up fund releases, and strengthen last-mile delivery to beneficiaries.
The factsheet noted that greater use of technology, stronger monitoring mechanisms, and improved outreach are progressively enhancing the scheme's effectiveness. As PM-AJAY continues to scale, its performance will be closely watched as a benchmark for targeted welfare delivery to India's most marginalised communities.
Point of View
730 crore disbursed, 18,093 Adarsh Grams declared — reflect administrative reach, but the harder question is impact quality. Merging three legacy schemes reduces duplication on paper; whether it has reduced fragmentation on the ground is less clear. The launch of a digital portal is a welcome step toward accountability, but real-time tracking is only as good as the data states feed into it. With SC communities still disproportionately represented at the bottom of income and education indices, the scheme's true test lies not in villages covered but in outcomes verified.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PM-AJAY scheme?
PM-AJAY, or Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojna, is a centrally sponsored scheme that merges three earlier programmes — PMAGY, SCA to SCSP, and BJRCY — to provide skilling, livelihood support, infrastructure, and educational facilities to Scheduled Caste communities. It aims to transform SC-majority villages into model 'Adarsh Grams' while also funding student hostels and livelihood training.
How much funding has PM-AJAY released to states so far?
More than ₹1,730 crore has been released directly to states under the Grants-in-Aid component of PM-AJAY between FY 2021-22 and FY 2025-26, according to an official government factsheet dated 28 September. This funding has supported over 2.5 lakh individual and group beneficiaries.
How many villages have been declared Adarsh Grams under PM-AJAY?
As of 8 September 2026, 18,093 villages have been formally declared as Adarsh Grams under PM-AJAY. The scheme has covered 47,243 villages in total, completing 46,944 development works and preparing 27,032 Village Development Plans.
What is the PM-AJAY hostel scheme and who does it benefit?
The hostel component of PM-AJAY funds construction and repair of student hostels to help Scheduled Caste students access quality education. As of September 2026, 785 hostels have been completed, and ₹61.46 crore has been allocated for FY 2026-27 to build two new projects — one for girls and one for boys — accommodating 264 students.
What is the new PM-AJAY Mobile App and Portal?
The PM-AJAY Mobile App and Portal were recently launched to replace paper-based workflows with end-to-end digital processing in real time. The platform is intended to improve transparency, accelerate fund releases, and strengthen monitoring and last-mile delivery of benefits to SC beneficiaries.
