Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAANJHI)

Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAANJHI) This scheme has been launched for developing model villages through implementation of existing schemes and certain new initiatives to be done at local context, depending from village to village. A model of local development should emanate from the Adarsh Gram, which can be replicated into other villages.

Obligations

• Each MP (From Rajya Sabha as well as Lok Sabha) is obligated to develop three villages by 2019 and a total of 8 villages each by 2024.
• An MP should develop the first Adarsh Gram by 2016 and remaining two, during the current Lok Sabha tenure by 2019. From 2019 to 2024, five more Adarsh Grams must be developed by each MP.

Selection of Village

• The MP can select any gram Panchayat that does not belong to him / her or spouse.
• There is a population criterion for MPs. If you are choosing a village in plains, its population should be 3000-5000. If in hills, it can be 1000-3000.
• A member of Lok Sabha can choose a village from his / her constituency. A Rajya Sabha MP can choose from the state from which he / she had been elected. A member from urban areas, can identify a village nearby. A nominal member can choose from any district.

Funds

There are no new funds. The funds can be raised from

• Existing schemes such as Indira Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, MGNREGA, BRGF etc.
• Money from MPLADS also has to be used.
• Revenue from the Gram Panchayat itself.
• Central and State Finance Commission Grants
• CSR funds.

How it will work?

• First step is to create a Village Development Plan, followed by a list of activities to be carried out. The chalk out resource requirements. Raise the money from sources given above and then spend in those activities.
• These include basic healthcare, livelihood development, farm development, skill development, providing pensions to eligible families, housing for all, social forestry etc.
• Implementation of the scheme has to be done by Gram Panchayat.

Monitoring:

Government will establish a portal for web based monitoring system. The output related to tangible targets is to be measured every quarter. An independent agency will conduct mid-term and post-project evaluation.

Points for Critical Assessment

India is a country of village and farmers where more than 60 percent of its population lives in rural areas. Schemes for development of a Model Village are not a new idea. Several central as well as state governments have tried and tested various schemes on the same theme. For example, the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana was launched in 2010 in 44,000 villages with over 50% Dalit population. The tangible results of this scheme are almost not visible. However, the SAGY schemes stand out from previous attempts. Firstly, one of the reasons of failure of previous schemes was choosing unrealistic targets. While PMAGY targeted 44000 villages, the state level Ram Manohar Lohia Samagra Gram Vikas Yojna of Akhilesh Yadav targets basic amenities in around 9900 villages. However, SAGY scheme targets only 2,500 villages of six lakh villages all over India to be developed as Adarsh Gram by 2019. Since the targets are realistic and implementation has to be done by the Gram Panchayats under monitoring by MP; one can expect that this scheme may provide tangible results.  Secondly, this scheme breaks away from the tradition of dwelling on government as a benefactor. It demands community participation. It’s a DIY (Do it yourself) model than relying excessively on government. When MP as well as community takes personal interest, the scheme could be a catalyst for some new initiatives in rural areas. The problem for MPs will be of choosing a village out of several hundred villages in their constituencies. Further, there are no additional funds for the scheme and its model is to productively use the funds already available under various other schemes.