New Delhi: The Minister for Rural Development clarified that there was never any provision to provide extra funds to Members of Parliaments to adopt villages into model ones in their constituencies under the Pradhan Mantri Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told News18 that it was up to each MP, being an influential person, to adopt a village, turn it into a model one, and ensure that both central and state sponsored schemes worked up to full capacity in the selected village.
According to recent media reports, as the Yojana entered Phase III, only 40 out of 788 MPs adopted gram panchayats in the 2017-2018 financial year, most citing lack of fund allocation for the scheme. Without a separate fund allocation, the MPs reportedly could create the desired “adarsh” village.
“People did not understand the concept,” said Tomar. “It was never said that there would be separate funds for yojana.” The idea was that, as influential people, MPs would help a village progress, help it stand on its feet, while the centre would make sure the schemes worked a 100% in those villages. “This is what the Prime Minister said. The sansad has to decide which village to select, how much work they’ll do there, the feeling to work for villages should come from within” said Tomar.
The Yojana was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech in 2014, and launched 11 October that year on the Jayaprakash Narayan’s birth anniversary. The first phase reportedly saw 88 percent of MPs adopting villages. The PM has, so far adopted two; Jayapur and Nagepur.
“I’m pleased to say that the selected villages have done well. Not everything that could have been done has been done, still, much work has happened,” said Tomar. “We’ve recently reviewed the work, their development, and asked the MPs to work faster.”
Tomar has written to MPs to adopt more villages in this phase.
He claimed that selected villages had become open defecation free or fully electrified, or have children going to schools and immunised, have solid and liquid waste management plans.
Tomar also dismissed the problems MPs reportedly face; apart from lack of resources, they’re worried about antagonising the villages in their constituency in the vicinity of the ‘model village’. “There is no problem” he said, “the feeling to work for villages and to donate money should come from within. The person who has gained influence over people through votes should use this influence for their good. It’s up to a person how much they want to donate”
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