Indian Community Welfare Fund 2026

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) aims to create ideal Indian villages by empowering Members of Parliament Read More... to adopt and guide the overall development of Gram Panchayats, focusing on social progress alongside infrastructure. Read less

Details

Imagine a village that's not just about roads and buildings, but a place where everyone thrives, lives in harmony with nature, and where good governance is a given. That's the dream behind the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY).

Launched on October 11, 2014, SAGY draws inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi's vision of 'Gram Swaraj' or village self-rule. It's a unique initiative where every Member of Parliament (MP) adopts a Gram Panchayat and works towards its all-round development.

These 'Adarsh Grams' are envisioned to become models of local development. They'll be places where villagers actively participate in decision-making, learn from each other, and become self-reliant. The scheme emphasizes that development isn't just about infrastructure; it's about building a society with strong values.

SAGY is designed to be demand-driven, community-inspired, and people-centric. It seeks to significantly improve the quality of life for all villagers by enhancing basic facilities, boosting livelihoods, and fostering social inclusion. The goal is to create a ripple effect, inspiring neighbouring villages to adopt similar development paths.

Objective

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) aims to create ideal Indian villages by empowering Members of Parliament to adopt and guide the overall development of Gram Panchayats, focusing on social progress alongside infrastructure.

Benefits

Assisting Overseas Indian nationals in distress situations:

Transportation of Mortal Remains and expenditure on incidentals of deceased Indian national to India or local cremation/burial of deceased in such cases where the employer, sponsor or insurance company is unable or unwilling to do so as per the contract and the family is unable to meet the cost.

Boarding and lodging for deserving distressed Indian nationals abroad on a means tested basis in budget category or shelters run by Mission/Post or NGOs empanelled with Mission.

Air passage to India to stranded Overseas Indian nationals

Legal Assistance on a means tested basis to deserving overseas Indian nationals who have committed minor crimes, offences or have been falsely implicated by their employer and put in jails; fishermen/seamen/sailors/Indian students in distress;

Payment for small fines and penalties in respect of Indian nationals for minor offences/crimes; for illegal stay in the host country where prima facie the worker is not at fault, and to enable release of Indian nationals from jail/detention center

Emergency Medical Care on means tested basis to overseas Indians who are involved in an accident (with serious life threatening injuries) have life-threatening medical conditions or suffer a serious disability.

Support for Community Welfare activities:

To promote Indian Culture by organizing cultural programmes by recognized Indian Diaspora organizations at major Indian Festivals, National Days of India; Indian culture Programs by recognized local artists or Indian artists based in India etc.

Payment of honorarium for teachers/faculty teaching Indian languages, art forms.

Welfare activities for Indian students towards organizing Annual Day for Indian students at Universities/educational institutions to discuss problems, issues faced by Indian students, including their visa, residence status, work permit, financial, welfare and other issues with participation of students.

Improvement in Consular services:

Hiring of limited additional staff for rendering various consular services

Hiring vehicles on a need basis for visits to jails, police stations; detention centres; labour camps; welfare camps; shelters for distressed Indians; prisons; hospitals; morgues and to airports for deportation/repatriation of distressed Indian nationals.

Hiring of local interpreters on a case-to-case basis for consular visits.

Design, publication, translation costs of pamphlets by Mission/Post about local labour laws, regulations, norms, dos & don’ts, welfare measures pertaining to overseas employment in the host country.

Organizing labour camps / consular camps for interacting with Indian migrant workers and informing them about issues related to overseas employment; labour laws; welfare and protection measures of the government.

Setting up 24 x 7 toll-free helplines, walk-in resource centres for providing information, advise, guidance on problems faced by distressed Indian nationals; and helping them register their grievance with the Mission/Post.

Development of e-Governance solutions, applications to address Consular/ welfare matters.

Sources and references

Guidelines

Who Can Be Part Of SAGY?

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana works on a Gram Panchayat basis. Here's how villages are selected:

Basic Unit: The Gram Panchayat is the fundamental unit for development.
Population Size: Ideally, a Gram Panchayat should have a population of 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly or tribal regions. If exact sizes aren't available, GPs with approximating populations can be chosen.
MP's Choice: A Member of Parliament (MP) can select a Gram Panchayat from the rural areas of any district in the country, provided it's not their own village or their spouse's village.
Phased Selection: Each MP initially adopts one Gram Panchayat for immediate development and two more for later phases.
Constituency Rules: Lok Sabha MPs choose from their own constituency. Rajya Sabha MPs select from a rural district of their choice within the state they represent.
Urban MPs: For MPs representing urban constituencies without Gram Panchayats, they can select a GP from a nearby rural constituency.
Continuity: Gram Panchayats already selected by MPs whose tenures have ended continue to be part of SAGY. Newly elected MPs can choose their GPs and subsequent ones by 2019 and then up to 2024.

Target: The plan is to develop three Adarsh Grams by March 2019 (with one completed by 2016), and then five more by 2024 (one each year).

How To Get Involved

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana is not a scheme where individuals apply directly. Instead, it's driven by the vision and adoption process undertaken by Members of Parliament (MPs).

Here's how it works:

MP's Adoption: Each Member of Parliament identifies and adopts a Gram Panchayat within their constituency or state (as per the rules mentioned in eligibility criteria).
Village Development Plan: With the MP's guidance, a comprehensive village development plan is created, involving the community and utilizing scientific tools. This plan focuses on achieving the holistic development goals of SAGY.
Implementation: The implementation of the plan involves convergence of various government schemes, community participation, and leveraging local resources, all facilitated by the MP's involvement and the Gram Panchayat.

There is no direct application process for citizens under this scheme. The initiative is led by elected representatives who champion the development of chosen villages.

Documents Needed

The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana is a Member of Parliament-led initiative focused on holistic village development. It does not require individual citizens to submit specific documents for application.

The selection of villages and the subsequent development process are managed by the MPs in coordination with the Gram Panchayats and relevant government departments.

FAQ’s

What is the main inspiration behind the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)?

The core inspiration for SAGY comes from Mahatma Gandhi's vision of 'Gram Swaraj' or village self-rule. The scheme aims to bring this ideal into reality in today's context.

What are the key objectives of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)?

SAGY's main goals are to kickstart holistic development in selected Gram Panchayats, significantly improve the quality of life through better amenities, higher productivity, enhanced human development, and increased livelihood opportunities. It also aims to create models of local development that neighbouring Panchayats can learn from.

Which values does SAGY promote in the villages?

SAGY emphasizes values like people's participation, focusing on the poorest (Antyodaya), gender equality, social justice, dignity of labour, cleanliness, harmony with nature, preserving local culture, mutual cooperation, transparency, accountability, and nurturing local self-governance, all aligned with the Indian Constitution.

How are villages chosen for the Adarsh Gram program?

Members of Parliament select a Gram Panchayat from their constituency (Lok Sabha MP) or state (Rajya Sabha MP), ensuring it's not their own village. The ideal population is between 3000-5000 in plains and 1000-3000 in hilly areas. MPs adopt one GP immediately and two more later.

What kind of activities are undertaken for the 'Human Development' aspect of SAGY?

Under Human Development, SAGY focuses on ensuring everyone has access to basic health facilities, complete immunization, institutional delivery, and improved nutrition, especially for children and women. It also promotes education up to Class 10, adult literacy, e-literacy, and turning schools into 'smart schools' with IT-enabled classrooms.

What is the ideal population size for a Gram Panchayat to be selected under SAGY?

The Gram Panchayat unit for SAGY should ideally have a population of 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly, tribal, and difficult areas. Gram Panchayats with populations close to these numbers can also be chosen.

How is the long-term success and sustainability of the Adarsh Grams ensured after the project period?

Sustainability is planned through the continued leadership of MPs, strong ownership by the Gram Panchayat and community, involvement of the private sector for larger assets, engagement of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for smaller assets, and clear protocols for departmental responsibilities in operation and maintenance.

What are the expected results or outcomes from implementing SAGY?

SAGY aims for increased job opportunities, reduced distress migration, elimination of bonded and child labour, 100% registration of births and deaths, development of peaceful dispute resolution, general harmony, and a positive influence on other Gram Panchayats.

Are there any awards or recognition for good performance in SAGY?

Yes, incentives are provided in the form of awards for best practices, best Charge Officers, best District Collectors, and Best Adarsh Grams to encourage effective implementation.

What specific activities are included under 'Social Development' in SAGY?

Social Development activities include promoting volunteerism, building community capacity, honoring village elders and local role models, making villages crime-free through citizen committees, organizing sports and arts festivals, fostering a village song, celebrating 'Village Day,' and ensuring the inclusion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

How does SAGY address environmental concerns?

Environmental development under SAGY includes ensuring toilets in every household and institution, proper waste management, roadside and tree plantations, social forestry, watershed management, rainwater harvesting, and reducing local pollution.

What is the role of technology in Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana?

Adopting and adapting technology is crucial. This includes using space technology, remote sensing, mobile technology, agriculture innovations, appropriate construction technologies, water supply and sanitation solutions, and promoting broadband connectivity.