Prime Minister launched Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana to realise Gram Swaraj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) on the birth anniversary of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan on 11 October 2014. SAGY will be implemented under the overall supervision of Union Ministry of Rural Development.

The programme is an ambitious village development project under which each Member of Parliament will take the responsibility for developing physical and institutional infrastructure in three villages by 2019.

The primary goal is to develop three Adarsh Grams or model villages 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.

Objective of the SAGY

The main objectives of SAGY are:

• To trigger processes which lead to holistic development of the identified Gram Panchayats
• To substantially improve the standard of living and quality of life of all sections of the population through: a) Improved basic amenities; b) Higher productivity; c) Enhanced human development; d) Better livelihood opportunities; e) Reduced disparities; f) Access to rights and entitlements; g) Wider social mobilization; and h) Enriched social capital
• To generate models of local level development and effective local governance which can motivate and inspire neighbouring Gram Panchayats to learn and adapt
• To nurture the identified Adarsh Grams as schools of local development to train other Gram Panchayats

Main highlights of the SAGY

• It aims to keep the soul of rural India alive while providing its people with quality access to basic amenities and opportunities to enable them to shape their own destiny.
• It places equal stress on nurturing values of national pride, patriotism, community spirit, self-confidence and on developing infrastructure.
• It is unique and transformative as it has a holistic approach towards development.
• It envisages integrated development of the selected village across multiple areas such as agriculture, health, education, sanitation, environment, livelihoods etc.
• SAGY aims at instilling certain values, such as people's participation, Antyodaya, gender equality, dignity of women, social justice, spirit of community service and etc in the villages and their people so that they get transformed into models for others.
• The gram panchayat would be the basic unit for development. 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, the 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.
• The scheme will be implemented through a Village Development Plan that would be prepared for every identified gram panchayat with special focus on enabling every poor household to come out of poverty.
• The constituency fund, MPLADS, would be available to fill critical financing gaps.
• SAGY gives focus to community participation.
• The participation of women in the decision-making process will be encouraged. The scheme envisages holding Mahila Sabhas and Bal Sabhas to discuss women and children specific issues and concerns.
• Ensuring universal access to education facilities, adult literacy, e-literacy are also important goals of SAGY.
• Adoption and adaptation of technology and introduction of innovations are critical to this programme. This will include use of space application and remote sensing for planning, mobile based technology for monitoring, agriculture technology for increasing productivity etc.
• At the national level, a separate, real time web based monitoring system will be put in place for the scheme covering all aspects and components.

Monitoring of SAGY

• The Union Ministry of Rural Development will put in place a specially designed capacity building programme for government functionaries at different levels including gram panchayats.
• At the state level, there will be an Empowered Committee headed by the Chief Secretary consisting of the relevant departments and including experts, as required with at least two civil society representatives.
• The District Collector will be the nodal officer for implementing the SAGY. He will conduct a monthly review meeting with representatives of the participating Line Departments. The Members of Parliament concerned will chair the review meetings.