The Centre will launch a new scheme for integrated development of 1,000 villages, each with more than 50 per cent of Scheduled Caste population, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced on Monday. The Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana would be taken up on a pilot basis. It aimed at convergent implementation of various development schemes there, with an additional provision of Rs. 10 lakh per village for those requirements which could not be met from the existing schemes. “If the pilot scheme is successful we hope to be able to expand it,” Dr. Singh said inaugurating the annual conference of State Ministers of Welfare/Social Justice here.
Simplified procedures
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik said the government proposed to simplify the certification procedure for persons with disabilities. The Ministry would soon develop a fully accessible website.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the 11th Plan focus was on inclusive growth and both the Centre and States should work together to help socially disadvantaged groups.
Noting that the States’ compliance with implementing the SC sub-plan was “not satisfactory,” he said the Commission had written to Chief Ministers that their annual plans would be cleared only if they implemented it properly.
