Posted on: Dec 17, 2024 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) Scheme Explained

Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana

Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) is a rural development program launched by the Government of India in October 2014 to transform and develop villages across the country. While the scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development, Members of Parliament (MPs) are responsible for adopting villages or Gram Panchayats in their constituencies and guiding the development process. The scheme focuses on the holistic development of rural areas, addressing key matters, such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, sanitation, and employment opportunities to improve the quality of life. Let’s understand how the SAGY scheme works.

How does Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) work?

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) is a unique collaboration between Members of Parliament, government departments, NGOs, and local authorities. They pool resources and expertise for the development of the adopted villages.

Here’s how the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) scheme works —

• Adoption of villages:

Each Member of Parliament is required to identify and adopt a village in the initial phase. He/she must later adopt two more villages in subsequent phases and look after their overall development.

• Development plan:

After gathering insights and formulating a plan, MPs work closely with villagers to create a detailed development strategy covering areas like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. They also focus on promoting self-sufficiency through agricultural reforms, rural entrepreneurship, and skill development.

• Resources:

The resources for these initiatives come from different sources, like MP’s funds and government schemes.

• Monitoring:

MPs regularly monitor the progress of each village in close coordination with district administration.

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

The key features of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana scheme are —

1. Link between political leaders and grassroots communities:

It establishes a direct connection between political leadership and the grassroots level, encouraging deeper engagement with local communities.

2. Identifying village needs through local perspectives:

It focuses on recognising the most critical needs and challenges of villages by understanding the issues from the perspective of the villagers themselves.

3. Comprehensive transformation across multiple sectors:

The scheme aims to bring about holistic development in selected villages, covering sectors like healthcare, education, infrastructure, and sanitation.

4. Various funding sources:

Funds for the program are sourced from multiple channels, including the MP’s Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions, and government schemes.

5. Emphasising people’s participation:

The scheme highlights the importance of involving local communities directly in decision-making, planning, and implementation. It emphasises that successful government initiatives depend on active public engagement.

6. Collaboration for tailored development plans:

Key stakeholders collaborate and create customised development strategies that address the specific needs of each village, ensuring the program’s success.

7. Promoting ownership and accountability:

The scheme encourages the active participation of villagers, fostering a sense of ownership, unity, and responsibility within the community.

8. Promoting gender equality:

The scheme actively involves women in development activities, promoting gender equality and ensuring their participation in the transformation process.

9. Regular impact appraisal:

The program regularly assesses its impact on the social, economic, and cultural aspects of village life to ensure its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

How is an Adarsh Gram selected?

An Adarsh Gram is selected based on the following factors —

1. Eligibility:

• The Gram Panchayat should be the basic or primary unit for selection under the scheme.

• The population of the village should be 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly, tribal, and difficult areas.

• The MP will select a Gram Panchayat from any rural area within the country, excluding his/her own village or the MP’s spouse.

• The MP will choose one Gram Panchayat for immediate development and two additional Gram Panchayats for later implementation.

• Lok Sabha MPs should select a Gram Panchayat within their own constituency.

• Rajya Sabha MPs should choose a Gram Panchayat from a rural area from a district of the state from which they were elected.

• In urban constituencies, where no Gram Panchayats exist, the MP will find and select a Gram Panchayat from a nearby rural constituency.

• If the MP’s tenure ends due to resignation or other reasons, the Gram Panchayats selected under SAGY will continue, regardless of whether activities have already started or not. The newly elected MPs will have the option to select a new Gram Panchayat, along with two others subsequently.

2. Identifying key needs:

Priority is given to villages that require extensive development, with a focus on factors such as insufficient infrastructure, high poverty rate, and limited access to basic facilities.

3. Diverse geographical regions:

Model villages are chosen from various regions, ensuring that different states, districts, and terrains are represented to promote equity across various areas.

4. Ease of accessibility:

Accessibility is crucial in selecting an Adarsh Gram. The selected villages should be easily accessible to key stakeholders so that the MPs and Adarsh Gram team can visit them regularly and actively engage in development activities.

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

The expected outcomes of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana are —

• Better access to education:

One of the most important expected outcomes of the scheme is a greater number of children going to school, quality education, and improved academic performance.

• Upgraded infrastructure:

The focus will be on enhancing access to essential amenities, such as roads, electricity, and other basic village infrastructure.

• Cleaner and healthier villages:

By the end of the transformation, model villages should have access to clean water, improved healthcare services, and better sanitation facilities.

• Increased income opportunities:

Residents of the model villages should have more options to earn, whether through small businesses, improved farming practices, or other means. These should ultimately improve their overall standard of living.

• Active participation of women:

A larger number of women should be actively engaged in economic activities and decision-making processes, fostering gender equality and empowering women.

• Environmental care:

Villages should adopt sustainable practices, ensuring cleaner and greener living conditions while taking steps to protect the environment.

Conclusion

To sum up, the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) scheme focuses on the development of rural India, aiming to improve healthcare, employment, education, and overall living conditions. The chosen villages receive dedicated support from MPs, Gram Panchayat, local communities, and villagers to transform them into Adarsh Grams or Model Villages. This initiative is a significant step towards strengthening and advancing India as a more developed nation.

Although SAGY primarily focuses on improving healthcare infrastructure and access to essential services in rural areas, it indirectly contributes to the broader goals of health and well-being. As part of these improvements, the scheme may also raise awareness about the importance of individual, parents and family health insurance policies, critical illness insurance cover and more. By purchasing adequate health insurance online or through an agent, policyholders can avail of quality healthcare during medical emergencies, without any financial burden.


Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.


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