Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) is a groundbreaking rural development initiative to transform villages across India. It is a scheme that empowers Members of Parliament (MPs) to adopt villages and bring about holistic development in terms of infrastructure, culture, and social progress, helping these villages become models of growth and sustainability.

What is Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana?

SAGY is a rural development programme launched by the Government of India in 2014 on the birth anniversary of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan. The objective of the SAGY scheme is to encourage MPs to adopt villages and convert them into Adarsh Grams or model villages. These model villages are expected to showcase all-around development, including social, economic, and cultural progress.

By encouraging MPs to take charge of a village's development, the programme aims to achieve comprehensive and sustainable growth in rural areas. According to government website data, 1,921 gram panchayats have been identified under the SAGY-II scheme (2019-2024).

What are the objectives of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana?

The objectives of SAGY revolve around the overall development of rural India. The primary goal is to improve the standard of living for villagers by addressing key issues such as poverty, education, health, and infrastructure.

Another objective is to promote social harmony and gender equality, ensuring that everyone, including women and marginalised communities, shares equally in the benefits of development. The programme also seeks to empower villagers to take control of their own development through local governance and participation.

Benefits of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana provides numerous benefits to rural areas. It helps bring much-needed infrastructure improvements to villages, such as roads, schools, and health facilities. The scheme promotes social inclusion, ensuring that all sections of society, including women and marginalised groups, participate in the development process. SAGY encourages MPs to focus on local issues and tailor solutions that address the specific needs of their adopted village. Lastly, the scheme aims to promote cultural development, preserving the heritage and traditions of rural India while also embracing modern advancements.

What are the key features of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana programme?

The features of SAGY are designed to create a framework for sustainable rural development.

The scheme requires MPs to adopt a village and oversee its development, turning it into a model village.

The development approach is holistic, focusing on economic, social, and cultural aspects. Community participation is also vital, encouraging villagers to take ownership of their development.

Finally, the scheme includes establishing Adarsh Gram Panchayats to ensure effective governance and promote grassroots democracy. These features of SAGY make it an inclusive and impactful rural development scheme.

How crucial is SAGY to solving rural development?

Rural development is critical for India's overall growth, and SAGY plays a crucial role in addressing key challenges faced by villages. With nearly 70% of India’s population living in rural areas, focusing on village development can significantly improve the country's economic and social progress.

The programme offers a community-driven approach, empowering villagers to shape their futures. By tackling issues like poor infrastructure, lack of education, and healthcare, SAGY ensures that rural areas are not left behind in India's growth story. In this way, the programme lays the foundation for sustainable and long-term rural development.

How does Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) work?

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana works through the active involvement of Members of Parliament, who are encouraged to adopt a village and lead its transformation.

Once a village is adopted, the MP works with local authorities, government agencies, and community leaders to develop a comprehensive plan for its development. The focus is on providing basic infrastructure, improving livelihood opportunities, and ensuring social development. The adopted village then serves as a model for other villages to follow. The scheme encourages the convergence of resources from various government programmes to maximise the impact of development initiatives.

How is an Adarsh Gram selected?

The process of selecting an Adarsh Gram involves a detailed assessment to ensure that the chosen village will benefit from the programme. Several factors are considered during the selection process:

Assessing Needs

The first step in selecting an Adarsh Gram is assessing the village's current needs. This involves evaluating the state of infrastructure, education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities. The goal is to identify villages that will benefit most from intervention and have the potential to serve as a model for others. MPs and local authorities conduct surveys to understand the village's challenges and prioritise the areas that require immediate attention.

Geographical Diversity

Geographical diversity is another key factor in the selection of an Adarsh Gram. The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana encourages the selection of villages from different parts of the country, ensuring that the benefits of the programme reach diverse regions.

By looking at geographical diversity, SAGY aims to address the unique challenges different regions face, such as lack of water in dry areas or poor connectivity in remote hilly regions. This ensures that the model villages created under SAGY represent the entire country.

Accessibility Check

Before finalising a village as an Adarsh Gram, its accessibility is considered. This means that the village should be accessible by road or other means of transport, making it easier to implement development initiatives. Accessibility also ensures that government schemes can be properly implemented. Villages that are difficult to reach might face additional challenges in receiving timely help, so ensuring a certain level of connectivity is essential for the scheme's success.

What are the expected outcomes of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)?

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana is designed to achieve several key outcomes that will enhance the quality of life for rural communities. These outcomes are wide-ranging and target multiple aspects of rural development.

Accessibility to better education

One of SAGY's primary outcomes is improving education in rural areas. By building better schools, providing access to qualified teachers, and ensuring that children have the necessary resources to learn, SAGY aims to increase literacy and reduce dropout rates. Educated villagers are better equipped to take advantage of economic opportunities, contributing to the village's long-term development.

Healthier villages

Another expected outcome of SAGY is the creation of healthier villages. This is achieved through developing healthcare facilities, promoting better sanitation, and increasing awareness about public health. By focusing on preventive care and ensuring access to medical services, SAGY helps reduce the incidence of diseases and improves the overall health of the village population.

Improved infrastructure

Improved infrastructure is a key focus of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. Villages adopted under SAGY are expected to benefit from new roads, improved electricity supply, and better water management systems. This will not only improve the daily lives of villagers but also boost economic activities by providing better connectivity to markets and services.

Increased income

The scheme also aims to increase villagers' income levels by promoting better farming techniques, creating new employment opportunities, and encouraging small-scale businesses. With better infrastructure and resource access, villages can become economically self-sufficient, reducing migration to urban areas in search of work.

Empowered women

Women empowerment is a major objective of SAGY. The programme focuses on providing women better access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities. Through self-help groups and other initiatives, SAGY encourages women to actively participate in the village's development, leading to greater gender equality and improved social harmony.

Environmental Care

Lastly, SAGY promotes environmental care by encouraging sustainable practices in farming, waste management, and energy usage. By incorporating eco-friendly techniques, the programme ensures that development is balanced with environmental conservation, helping villages to maintain their natural resources for future generations.