Most central sponsored schemes after Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Rajiv Gandhi tops the list

Sixty-five years of democracy in India has seen the emergence of many powerful political families, but the maximum number of Centrally-sponsored schemes and institutions are named after the members of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty. Out of 58 Centrally-sponsored schemes and institutions run by the Central Government, 27 have the names of the family members of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty. These 27 schemes carry the names of either one of the three former Prime Ministers hailing from Nehru-Gandhi family - Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

Out of the total 27 schemes named after the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, the maximum number are named after Rajiv Gandhi, followed by Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. A total of 16 schemes and institutions are named after Rajiv Gandhi, eight after Indira Gandhi and three after Jawaharlal Nehru. This information was revealed in reply to an RTI application filed by Ramesh Verma, a Haryana-based RTI activist. Only four out of a total of 58 schemes and institutes are running in the name of Mahatma Gandhi. They are Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Gandhi Smriti, Gandhi Shilp Bazaar and Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Yojana.

Four schemes and institutions have been named after the Indian Constitution’s chief architect, Dr. B R Ambedkar, three after Maulana Abul Kalam, senior leader of Indian Independence movement and two after former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

The four schemes and institutions named after Ambedkar were announced shortly after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) emerged as a political force after 1991.

One scheme or institute has been named after the Indian independence movement leader and first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Kasturba Gandhi, social reformer Babu Jagjivan Ram, poet Rabindranath Tagore and former President of India Zakir Hussian, filmmaker Satyajit Ray, social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Rani Laxmibai.