106 MPs yet to adopt villages under Adarsh Gram Yojana: Singh

Even as 86 per cent Members of Parliament have so far adopted villages under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), 106 MPs were yet to act on it, Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said here today.
"86 per cent MPs have adopted villages under SAGY. However, 106 MPs have not done it so far, including all 55 MPs from West Bengal," the Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation, said.
"As on July 3, 682 gram panchayats have been adopted by MPs across the country under the programme. All the MPs from 22 states, including Maharashtra, have adopted villages," he said.

The minister was speaking after a SAGY review meet held here to discuss the implementation of the scheme, its progress and suggestions of MPs from Maharashtra and Goa.
Though the programme was launched on October 11, 2014 with a goal to create model villages by March 2019, he said adding, the implementation work began only from this month after deliberations and extensive discussions with sarpanchas and after chalking out village development plans.
"Work on this much-awaited programme has now begun and our ministry will hold another review meet in the month of October in this regard," he added.

The minister expressed hope that by 2024, total 5,500 villages would be brought under the SAGY.

"The usefulness of this scheme could be understood by the fact that 10 states, including Maharashtra, have decided to launch the scheme for their MLAs as well," Singh said.
He added that many corporate entities in Maharashtra have pledged their support for this scheme as part of their corporate social responsibilities (CSR).