Over the past decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to transform eight villages in Varanasi under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). However, the promises of model villages with modern amenities have fallen short in many instances.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto in 2019 included promises of 'gram swaraj' with pukka houses for all, tap water accessibility, digital connectivity, improved road infrastructure and sanitation initiatives. However, a closer look reveals a stark disparity between rhetoric and reality.

Take Mahesh Chauhan's village of Domri, nestled along the banks of the Ganga river. Despite being adopted under the SAGY, Domri remains far from a model village. Many families in the Harijan Basti still endure harsh conditions, with makeshift shelters providing scant protection from the elements. For Chauhan, the absence of proper housing not only affects his family's well-being but also leaves them vulnerable to theft, as recently experienced with the loss of his goats.

Despite inaugural stones laid by Modi himself, the ground reality paints a different picture, with many villages still grappling with fundamental challenges. Join us as we uncover the truth behind the facade of Modi's village adoption initiative.

Watch this conversation between reporter Srishti Jaswal and The Wire's Zeeshan Kaskar on the SAGY story.

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