Lok Sabha Question No. 2969 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-10
Subject: Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: Shri Sudama Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT LOK SABHA

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2026

## PRADHAN MANTRI ANUSUCHIT JAATI ABHYUDAY YOJANA

## 2969. SHRI SUDAMA PRASAD:

## Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of funds under Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY); indicating  separately the allocations approved, funds released and funds actually utilised Territory-wise;
- (b6) whether the Ministry has taken note of low utilisation of funds under PM-AJAY in several States/UTs, if so, the details of such States/UTs where utilisation has remained below prescribed norms during the said period, State-wise;
- (c) the reasons reported by the State Governments for such low utilisation and the corrective measures taken O proposed by the Ministry to improve fund absorption and ensure timely implementation; and
- measures that   have    been   instituted fixed timelines for submission and verification of utilisation certificates?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)

- (a) Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented through the State Governments /Union Territories (UT) launched in 2021-22 by merging three erstwhile schemes, namely Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP), and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana  The Scheme has three components namely (i) Adarsh Gram, (ii) Grants-in-aid for District/State-level projects for Socio-Economic betterment of Scheduled Caste  (SC) communities; and   (iii) The details of Budget   Estimates and funds released under PM-AJAY during the last three financial years are as follows:

## (Figures In Rs. Crores)

|    | SI No.[Financial Year   |   IBudget Estimate |   Total fund released Expenditure Percentage |        |
|----|-------------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------------|--------|
| 1_ | 2022-23                 |               1950 |                                       163.13 | 8.4%   |
| 2  | 2023-24                 |               2050 |                                       465.64 | 22.71% |
| 3_ | 2024-25                 |               2140 |                                       729.49 | 34.08% |

State/UT-wise details of funds released during the last   three financial years are at Annexure-I.

(6) & (c): Low utilisation of funds under PM-AJA Y scheme during the last three financial years occurred due to  delay in finalisation of the Village Development Plans (VDPs) and Perspective by the implementing StatesMUTs under the scheme. Further; the StatesMUTs had not submitted Utilisation Certificates in a time-bound manner and cleared their SNA balances,  resulting in delays in releases to the States/UTs. To address this, the Department Union Territories, organised Chintan Shivirs and National Conferences, and emphasised capacity building and hand-holding for low-performing States and Districts plans

(d): To strengthen financial management, funds under PM-AJA Y are released in accordance with the provisions of the General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017, approved guidelines of the Ministry of Finance and through the SNA-SPARSH mechanism of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) which enables real-time monitoring of fund flows. Further; a dedicated PM-AJA Y portal has been developed for real-time monitoring of the scheme's physical  and  financial  progress,  along with  prescribed timelines for the submission and verification of Utilisation Certificates by the States/UTs.

## Annexure in rlo Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.2969 on Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana

Fund released under PM-AJAY during\_the last three Financial Years (2022-23 to 2024-25)

| S.No:   | State/UT         | Fund released (Rs. in Crore)   | Fund released (Rs. in Crore)   | Fund released (Rs. in Crore)   |
|---------|------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| S.No:   | State/UT         | FY 2022-23                     | FY 2023-24                     | FY 2024-25                     |
|         | Andhra Pradesh   |                                | 8.79                           | 40.07                          |
| 2       | Assam            | 0.05                           | 15.90                          | 25.31                          |
| 3       | Bihar            | 56.53                          |                                | 8.72                           |
|         | Chbajirgarh      |                                |                                |                                |
| 5       |                  |                                |                                |                                |
|         | Haryana          |                                |                                | 7.19                           |
|         | Himachal Pradesh |                                | 0                              | 2.02                           |
| 8       | Jammu & Kashmir  |                                | 5.13                           | 8.58                           |
| 9       | Jharkhand        |                                |                                |                                |
| 10      | Karnataka        | 23.77                          | 4.50                           | 24.24                          |
| 11      | Kerala           |                                | 3.86                           | 2.27                           |
| 12      | Madhya Pradesh   |                                | 3.75                           | 18.86                          |
| 13      | Maharashtra      | 28.61                          | 2.16                           | 27.24                          |
| 14      | Manipur          | 7.00                           | 0.03.                          | 5.33                           |
| 15      | Meghalaya        |                                |                                |                                |
| 16      | Mizoram          |                                |                                | 3.93                           |
| 17      | Nagaland         | 1.80                           | 21.00                          |                                |
| 18      | Odisha           | 1.49                           | 48.34                          | 46.85                          |
| 19      | Punjab           | 41.26                          |                                | 45.87                          |
| 20      | Rajasthan        |                                | 7.50                           |                                |
| 21      | Sikkim           | 0.16                           | 3.72                           | 1.91                           |
| 22      | Tamil Nadu       |                                | 280.80                         | 321.87                         |
| 23      | Telangana        |                                | 13.99                          | 4.92                           |
| 24      | Tripura          | 1.10                           | 4.73                           | 5.09                           |
| 25      | Uttar Pradesh    | 0                              | 3.07                           | 65.76                          |
| 26      | Uttarakhand      |                                | 4.89                           | 4.84                           |
| 27      | West Bengal      |                                | 33.21                          | 58.29                          |
| 28      | Chandigarh       |                                | 0.22                           | 0.24                           |
| 29      | Delhi            |                                |                                |                                |
| 30      | Puducherry       |                                |                                |                                |
|         | Total            | 163.14                         | 465.65                         | 729.49                         |

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