New Delh, Nov. 2 -- The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has said that more than 74 per cent of the funds allocated for the Adarsh Gram component of the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) between 2021-22 and 2025-26 have been accounted for through utilisation certificates (UCs) submitted by states and Union Territories. The clarification follows a news report published in
Millennium Post on November 2, titled 'Only 1.74 Lakh Works Identified Under PM-AJAY's Adarsh Gram; 43,802 Completed: RTI - Govt Declares 13,459 Villages Adarsh Grams in 4 Years'.
The ministry said Rs 1,545.43 crore was allocated for Adarsh Gram during the period, against which UCs worth Rs 1,154.17 crore have been received for completed works. It said UCs are submitted after funds are utilised and works completed, indicating that actual completion could be higher than reported. States and UTs are updating the latest figures on the portal.
According to the ministry, 19,957 villages had been declared Adarsh Grams as of October 31, 2026. It aims to cover all eligible villages by March 31, 2029.
To accelerate implementation, the department has introduced measures focusing on digital governance, monitoring, timely fund disbursal and coordination with other development schemes.
The PM-AJAY portal and AJAY mobile application have been launched to replace paper-based processes, including field surveys and preparation of Village Development Plans (VDPs), with a digital workflow.
Between 2022-23 and 2025-26, 16,336 VDPs were generated, 15,043 approved and 13,458 villages declared Adarsh Grams. During 2026-27, from April 1 to November 1, another 14,250 VDPs were generated, 8,386 approved and 6,499 villages declared. The cumulative figures stand at 30,586 VDPs generated, 23,429 approved and 19,957 villages declared.
The department has also introduced third-party verification to assess the achievement of prescribed development indicators. More than 8,544 villages have been validated under the exercise.
A second milestone, 'Antyodaya Villages', has been introduced to achieve 100 per cent saturation of development indicators. Fund disbursal has begun for eligible villages achieving the prescribed Adarsh Gram milestone.
The ministry said all eligible states and UTs, including Bihar and West Bengal, have been onboarded.
For monitoring, annual Central Advisory Committee meetings are held under the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, while monthly reviews are conducted by the department's Secretary. Fortnightly state visits and weekly video conferences chaired by the Additional Secretary are also being held to assess progress and address implementation issues.
The department is additionally setting up Project Monitoring Units at the Centre and state levels to strengthen coordination and accelerate implementation.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.