Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana

• A study commissioned by the Ministry of Rural Development has observed that the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) has not made “any significant impact” and that “in the current format, it is not achieving the desired purpose”.

About:

• Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) was launched in 2014.

• Since the launch of the scheme on October 11, 2014, only 1,855 gram panchayats have been selected across five phases, with only seven in Phase 5.

• Under SAGY, each Member of Parliament adopts a Gram Panchayat and guides its holistic progress giving importance for social development at par with infrastructure.

• The goal is to develop three Adarsh Grams by March 2019, of which one would be achieved by 2016. Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024.

Identification of Adarsh gram:

• A Gram Panchayat would be the basic unit. It will have a population of 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly, tribal and difficult areas. In districts where this unit size is not available, Gram Panchayats approximating the desirable population size may be chosen.

• The MP would be free to identify a suitable Gram Panchayat for being developed as Adarsh Gram, other than his/her own village or that of his/her spouse.