Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, one of PM’s pet projects, was launched in 2014. Only 54% of nearly 6,300 gram panchayats have been adopted by MPs. Slow pace a cause for concern, say officials.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi adopted Urwa gram panchayat in UP pocket borough Raebareli in 2014. Since then, she has neither set foot here nor made any major changes.
Congress MP adopted village in 2014, while Union minister did in 2019. Roads have come up & so have other amenities, but much remains to be done, especially in interior areas.
Nine years after former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar adopted Keorak village, residents claim that poorly implemented sewage and waterbody projects have worsened its conditions.
While MPs complain of low resources for Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana projects, Modi’s 7 adopted villages have had no trouble drawing CSR funds, whether from govt companies or private players.
Former rural development minister Upendra Kushwaha says the biggest challenge is the lack of support from the state govts, the district administration not taking interest.
Launched in 2014, Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana is nearing its 2024 deadline, but lack of dedicated funds & interest from MPs means even in adopted villages, work completed is under 75%.
Only 225 of the 543 Lok Sabha MPs adopted a village in the third phase of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, but Modi govt now wants them to adopt one each year.
The collusion between the new class of bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen and trade union bosses perpetuates itself partly because of the short-run benefits and partly because they see no way out of the system, wrote author MH Mody in 1980.
IAF is firming up plans to revamp airlift capabilities with medium transport aircraft that will be assembled in India & serve as its main workhorse. Embraer is leading contender as of now.
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