Attempting to revamp its image and project itself as a pro-Dalit and pro-minority government, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJ&E) has identified villages where it will spend Rs25 lakh development.
Ahead of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, Centre has approved of infrastructure developments in scheduled caste and Dalit dominated villages in the two states. Under the Pradhan Mantri Aadash Gram Yojana (PMAGY), 100 villages in Punjab and 200 in Uttar Pradesh have been identified to implement the scheme for development of these villages.
The government at the centre has been facing criticism from several quarters over increasing cases of Dalit atrocities. It has been under fire for atrocities in states including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Most of these states are governed by the BJP. As a result the party has been facing criticism and has developed an anti-minority image.
Attempting to revamp its image and project itself as a pro-Dalit and pro-minority government, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJ&E) has identified villages where it will spend Rs25 lakh development.
The scheme which is primarily under the rural development ministry has been adopted by MSJ&E to benefit the schedule caste (SC) and other minorities. After running a pilot project in 338 villages in states including Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Assam, the ministry has now identified states which will be going to polls in the next two years. While Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are on the top priority, Orissa which will be having assembly polls later has also got a 100 villages in its kitty.
With 31.9 per cent, Punjab has highest population of SC in the country. Uttar Pradesh has 20.7 per cent SC population. Both the states are crucial for BJP in the assembly election due next year.
Under the scheme, the centre will develop services including primary education, roads, health care facilities, sanitation, nutrition, rural housing, electrification, setting up of post offices and anganwaris in the villages. Villages with more than 50 per cent minority population has been identified for the scheme.
"National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad has been roped in to prepare development models for the villages. The institute will also assist the states and prepare plans to roll out the schemes," said a senior official of the ministry.
As a part of the scheme, the Centre will make an investment of Rs25 lakh in the villages. "If the state administration pools in equal funds, the Centre will provide an additional funds of Rs5 lakh for each village," added the officer.
Besides the three poll bound states villages from Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and West Bengal have also been identified for the scheme.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "dna")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}