Maarg Manthan · Topic 15.1

Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Schemes for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities and Divyangjan · Topic 15.1

The Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY) is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, started in 2021-22 for the first phase to 2025-26, to develop tribal-majority villages as model villages through convergence of schemes. It modified and renamed the earlier Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme. It covers 36,428 villages that have at least 50 per cent Scheduled Tribe population and 500 Scheduled Tribe persons, with an indicative allocation of about 20.38 lakh rupees per village, or roughly 7,276 crore rupees in all. The scheme aims at better infrastructure, education, health, livelihoods and community assets in tribal villages.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Schemes for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities and Divyangjan

At a Glance

Full form Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana
Ministry Tribal Affairs
Phase 2021-22 to 2025-26
Villages 36,428
Criteria At least 50% ST population and 500 ST persons
Amount About 20.38 lakh rupees per village, as reported
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Schemes for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities and Divyangjan

Where Does It Fit?

This is the first topic of the macro on schemes for SC, ST, OBC, minorities and divyangjan. It deals with village-level development for tribal communities, and a sister scheme for scheduled caste villages follows. Previous topic: SFURTI Scheme (Traditional Industries). Next topic: Post-Matric and Pre-Matric Scholarship Schemes for SC/ST/OBC Students.

What Does PMAAGY Cover and How Are Villages Chosen?

Feature	Details
Ministry	Tribal Affairs, as a centrally sponsored scheme with funds shared with states as per the guidelines
Background	The Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme was modified and renamed PMAAGY, so it continues an older funding line for tribal areas
Eligible villages	Villages having at least 50 per cent ST population and at least 500 ST persons, across states and Union Territories
Number	36,428 villages in the first phase from 2021-22 to 2025-26
Funding	An indicative figure of about 20.38 lakh rupees per village, which makes up roughly 7,276 crore rupees in total, as stated in answers to Parliament
Approach	Convergence: funds from other schemes of the Centre and the states are combined with PMAAGY gap-filling money

What Interventions and Gaps Are Reported?

Village development plans: each village prepares a plan that identifies gaps in education, health, roads, drinking water, sanitation, housing and livelihoods
Gap-filling role: PMAAGY money is meant to fill critical gaps that other schemes do not cover, such as hostels, school buildings, health sub-centres and skill centres
Other schemes: housing under PMAY-G, roads under PMGSY, water under Jal Jeevan Mission and livelihood schemes are brought together in each village
Monitoring: a portal tracks village plans and works, and states report progress to the ministry
Coverage so far: a government statement said about 16,554 villages were taken up in 2021-22 and 2022-23 together, which shows a slower pace than the target
Parliamentary comments: a parliamentary committee has pointed out slow implementation and suggested a review of the village selection criteria
Fund release: release depends on state proposals and use certificates, which affects the pace of work
Link to a bigger mission: the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan of 2024 covers 63,843 villages in 549 districts through 25 interventions of 17 ministries, so students should check how PMAAGY fits into it

What Else Should You Remember?

Meaning of Adi: the word Adi in Adi Adarsh Gram stands for original or tribal, so the scheme is about model villages of tribal communities
Scheduled Tribes: Scheduled Tribes are notified under Article 342 of the Constitution, and the 2011 Census counted them at about 8.6 per cent of the population
Constitutional support: Fifth and Sixth Schedules and Article 275(1) give special grants and administration for tribal areas
Sister scheme for SC villages: the SC version is the Adarsh Gram component of PM-AJAY, as in Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY)
Dedicated tribal funds: the earlier Tribal Sub-Plan became the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes, in parallel to the SC plan, as in Development Action Plan for Scheduled Castes (DAPSC)
Vulnerable groups: very small and vulnerable tribal groups get a special mission, as in PM-JANMAN (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups)
Livelihoods: forest produce marketing is promoted through a separate scheme, as in Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (Tribal Livelihoods)
Education link: residential schools for tribal children are covered in another topic, as in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)
Criticism: selection by a population threshold leaves out scattered tribal households, and gap-filling funds are small per village
Way forward: flexible selection rules, bigger per-village money where gaps are large, and stronger gram sabha participation under PESA

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Ministry: Tribal Affairs, not Social Justice
Selection rule: 50 per cent ST population and 500 ST persons
Villages: 36,428 in the first phase
Background: modified and renamed from the Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme
Common errors: confusing with PM-AJAY or with PM-JANMAN

As an analytical point, model village schemes work when each village gets a clear plan and funds that match its gaps. Tying money to a population threshold is simple to run but can miss dispersed tribal families.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Prelims Ministry and criteria are asked as facts
Mains Tribal development and convergence
Linkage Joins PM-AJAY, PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA

What Came Next?

The next topic covers scholarships for SC, ST and OBC students. Next topic: Post-Matric and Pre-Matric Scholarship Schemes for SC/ST/OBC Students.

Key People and Terms

PMAAGY Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana
Special Central Assistance Additional central grant
Convergence Combining several schemes
Adi Tribal or original
Gap-filling Funding what other schemes miss
ST Scheduled Tribe

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Ministry: Tribal Affairs; phase 2021-22 to 2025-26.
36,428 villages with at least 50 per cent ST population and 500 ST persons.
About 20.38 lakh rupees per village, as reported.
Replaced the Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme.
SC version: Adarsh Gram under PM-AJAY.

Do Not Confuse With

PMAAGY and PM-AJAY Tribal village development versus a scheduled caste scheme with an Adarsh Gram component
PMAAGY and PM-JANMAN All eligible tribal villages versus 75 particularly vulnerable tribal groups
PMAAGY and Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana Tribal model villages versus villages adopted by MPs, see Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)

Memory Hook

Adi means tribal: fifty per cent, five hundred people, a model village.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about tribal development and scheme design. These points give a balanced frame.

Aim Model villages and gap filling
Gaps Slow pace, threshold rule
Way forward Flexible criteria, PESA, convergence

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the design of village-level schemes for tribal development and suggest how convergence can be improved.”

How to Answer

Intro Explain PMAAGY and its criteria.
Strengths Plans, convergence, portal.
Gaps Slow pace, small funds, threshold.
Way Flexible rules and gram sabha role.

GS Relevance

Prelims: ministry, criteria for village selection, number of villages, per-village amount. GS Paper 2: welfare of Scheduled Tribes, convergence of schemes; GS Paper 1: tribal development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana?

PMAAGY is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, started in 2021-22, that develops tribal-majority villages as model villages through gap-filling funds and convergence of other schemes. It covers 36,428 villages in its first phase to 2025-26.

Which ministry runs PMAAGY?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs runs the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana, with states implementing it through tribal welfare departments. The scheme was created by modifying and renaming the earlier Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme.

Which villages are eligible under PMAAGY?

Villages with at least 50 per cent Scheduled Tribe population and at least 500 Scheduled Tribe persons are eligible. The ministry identified 36,428 such villages across states and Union Territories for the first phase from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

How much money does a village get under PMAAGY?

Answers to Parliament put the indicative amount at about 20.38 lakh rupees per village, which comes to roughly 7,276 crore rupees for 36,428 villages. The money fills gaps that other schemes do not cover and is combined with funds from other programmes.

What is the latest status of PMAAGY?

The first phase was meant to end in 2025-26, and reports said only about 16,554 villages were taken up in the first two years. Since 2024 the larger Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan covers 63,843 villages, so readers should check the ministry for current guidelines.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 PMAAGY is run by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

True

It covers tribal-majority villages.

2 A village needs only 25 per cent ST population to qualify.

False

The rule is 50 per cent and 500 ST persons.

3 PMAAGY covers 36,428 villages in its first phase.