Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, a rural development programme, was launched in the year 2009-2010. The Scheme aims for the development of the villages which has at least 50% of the people belonging to the Schedule Caste. There is a vision to convert such villages into model villages.
The objective and model village norms of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana’ is explained in the current article.
Objective of Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana-
The main objective of the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana is to ensure integrated development/ growth of the selected villages in to the model village (explained below) so that-
1. The villages have all the requisite physical infrastructure and social infrastructure which enables their socio- economic development. Accordingly, it satisfies all the possible rules as mentioned in the vision of an ‘Adarsh gram’.
2. Following social evils are eliminated-
- Untouchability; discrimination; offensiveness and segregation against schedule castes;
- Discrimination against women/ girls;
- Alcoholism and substance drugs abuse.
3. There must be the elimination of disparity amongst schedule caste and non-schedule caste populations in terms of socio-economic indicators like-
- Literacy rate;
- Ownership of productive assets;
- Completion rate of elementary education; etc.
The model village as dreamed under Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana-
As per the vision under the Scheme, the model village is the one that has-
- Adequate physical and institutional infrastructure;
- Adequate facilities as required for dignified living;
- Harmony between all the peoples;
- An environment which enables to utilize of the potential of all the residents; and
- Progressive and dynamic attitude.
Following are the norms which the village needs to satisfy for being a model village-
| Particulars | Norms |
| Physical infrastructure | · All the houses in the village should have electricity;
· The village should be connected to the nearest main road by an all- weather road. However, if the village has many/ multi- hamlets, then, all such hamlets must be connected with each other by all- weather road; · Everyone must have access to safe drinking water; · Everyone in the village must have adequate housing; · The village should be facilitated with adequate banking either via regular branches in the villages or via close proximity through Business Correspondent/ Business Facilitator Model; · Department of Telecommunication must have established adequate communication facilities like a post office; internet; Bharat Nirman Common Service Centre and telephones. |
| Sanitation and Environment | · There must be adequate sanitation facilities like-
o Should be free from dry latrines and open defecation; o Should have sanitary toilets; o Should have an adequate waste disposal system. Notably, the village should satisfy all the possible norms of ‘Nirmal Gram Puraskar’. · The village should be properly taking care of the environment by adopting the following ways- o Planting trees; o Water harvesting; o Use of renewable energy sources like solar energy/ wind energy/ biogas; o Maintenance of water bodies; o Increasing use of smokeless chullas. |
| Social Infrastructure, Human Development and Social Harmony | Education and physical activity-
· The village should have schools and an Anganwadi Centre. Children between the age group of 3 to 6 years should be enrolled in Anganwadi and children between the age group of 6 to 14 years should be enrolled in Schools; · All the adults, in the village, must be at least functionally literate. They must be given an opportunity for continuing education; · There must be an adequate sports facility and also the facility for other physical activity. Health care- · Access must be available to the primary health care and Reproductive Child Health facilities along with proper prenatal and ante-natal facilities; · The village must have 100% institutional deliveries; complete immunization of the children etc. Social welfare- · The village must be taking adequate care of girls; women; children; disabled person and senior citizens; · There must be an active Gram Sabha (Gram Panchayat); self-help group of women’s/ swarozgaris; youth club etc.; · There must not be any race/ colour/ caste/ gender discrimination; · There must be the complete eradication of the practice of untouchability; · The weaker sections, of the village, must duly have a sense of dignity and security. |
| Livelihood | · The village should have adopted new technology along with progressive and efficient practice in various economic activities like animal husbandry; agriculture and fisheries;
· There must be adequate employment and sufficient means of livelihood for all the youths and adults of the village; · The village must provide an opportunity for developing skills; · The residents of the village must have appropriate access to the remunerative prices for the agricultural produce and other produce. |
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