PM-AJAY Meet: Pijush Hazarika requests CAC to Raise Hostels in Assam

NEW DELHI: Assam Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Pijush Hazarika urged the Central Advisory Committee (CAC) of Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyudaya Yojana (PM-AJAY) to raise the hostel component for Assam and the Northeast under the scheme.

The minister said this while addressing the first meeting of CAC of PM-AJAY at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre here on Saturday.

Hazarika appealed to the CAC to raise the hostel component from the existing Rs. 20 lakh under the scheme. “Compared to other parts of the country, the Northeast Region requires more support and assistance under the hostel component of the scheme,” he quipped.

Hazarika said that the Government of Assam is committed to ensuring the transformation of the lives of the Scheduled Caste communities under the PM-AJAY.

The day-long meeting chaired by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, was attended by members of CAC, ministers of concerned departments from various states, and senior officials from different ministries.

Reiterating the government’s unwavering commitment towards the holistic development of SC communities, Union Minister Dr. Kumar stated, “PM-AJAY plays a crucial role in addressing socio-economic disparities. Through focused interventions and collaborative efforts, we are working towards empowering SC individuals and promoting inclusive growth.” A centrally sponsored scheme, the PM-AJAY, launched in 2021-22, consists of three components, namely the Adarsh Gram Component, the grants-in-aid to state/district-level Projects Component, and the hostel component. Apart from giving overall guidance and monitoring, the CAC will specifically address broad policy issues, assess the socio-economic impact of the scheme, and issue supplementary implementation guidelines from time to time.

 Minister Hazarika also met Union Minister Dr. Kumar and urged him to consider establishing India’s first Divyang University in Assam, a press release said.

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