Central Advisory Committee Maps Roadmap For PM-AJAY Upliftment

09 Jun 2026 CW Team

The Central Advisory Committee met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr Virendra Kumar, for a high-level review of the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana. The session was held at Manthan Hall, GPOA-3 in New Delhi. The minister emphasised the government's commitment to social and economic empowerment of Scheduled Caste communities and urged coordination between states and the centre for timely implementation and fund utilisation, while indicating scope expansion to reach more aspiring communities.

The committee reviewed performance from fiscal year 2021-22 to fiscal year 2025-26 and acknowledged progress. It recorded 15,387 villages declared as Adarsh Gram, more than Rs 17.3 billion (Rs 17.3 bn) released to states under the grant-in-aid component, and benefits to more than 0.25 million (0.25 mn) individual and group beneficiaries through asset creation and livelihood initiatives. Completion of 785 student hostels was noted to support residential facilities and higher education enrolment.

The committee noted rollout of the AJAY mobile application enabling digital field surveys in 24 Indian languages with geo-tagged, time-stamped photo verification for community assets. State and union territory representatives commended progress and sought higher allocations and improved convergence to strengthen outcomes. They urged enhanced financial support and closer on-ground coordination to translate policy into measurable results.

The CAC agreed a forward-looking roadmap for the next phase, endorsing increased scope across all three components to reach aspiring Scheduled Caste communities. It recommended a comprehensive approach to livelihood and skill development and additional funds for hostel construction to support educational empowerment. The committee asked states to implement the scheme in a time-bound manner and to utilise funds efficiently to sustain momentum.

Equipment

09 Jun 2026

Godrej Launches India's First Multi-Ion Forklift Battery

Godrej Enterprises Group has introduced India's first Multi-Ion battery technology for electric forklifts through its Material Handling Equipment (MHE) business, marking a significant step towards sustainable and efficient industrial operations. The technology has been developed to address the increasing demand for reliable, energy-efficient solutions across India's rapidly expanding manufacturing, logistics and warehousing sectors.The Multi-Ion battery is designed to deliver up to 25 per cent lower total cost of ownership, higher equipment uptime and reduced environmental impact. Engineered t..

Mahindra Lifespaces Unveils New Phase at Mahindra Citadel

Mahindra Lifespace Developers has launched Codename Sanctum, a new phase of its residential project, Mahindra Citadel, in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune. Spread across approximately 9.66 acres, the development has a Gross Development Value (GDV) of nearly Rs 25 billion. The newly launched phase, comprising Towers E, F and G, has an estimated GDV of around Rs 8-8.5 billion and offers a limited inventory of premium 2 and 3 BHK residences.Vimalendra Singh, Chief Business Officer (Residential), Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. said, “Mahindra Citadel has emerged as a strong contributor to our Pune por..

Cabinet Approves Two Year Scheme To Replace Old Trucks And Buses

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved a two-year scheme to reduce air pollution in the Delhi–NCR region and promote cleaner mobility. The programme will be funded through the National Capital Region Planning Board under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, with participating States and Union Territories of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The total financial outlay has been set at Rs 95.85 billion (bn), with the Central Government contributing Rs..