Vadodara: Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), the only university in Gujarat selected for a NITI Aayog monitoring and evaluation project, has completed its third-round assessment of key Central govt schemes across six villages in Vadodara and Chhota Udepur districts.The study examined the grassroots implementation of schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, Ayushman Bharat and Poshan 2.0, while documenting local practices that could help improve access to essential services.In Baroli village of Chhota Udepur district, handpumps supplement the gram panchayat’s water supply when piped water provision is irregular. In Sangma village of Vadodara district, awareness of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), coupled with access to nearby empanelled healthcare facilities, supports the potential utilisation of the scheme. The assessment also found that the distribution of anganwadi centres across the six villages helps improve access to services for women and children under Poshan 2.0.The assessment covered three blocks and six villages across the two districts under the Monitoring and Evaluation (Round III) project awarded by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog.MSU released the final report on Tuesday in the presence of vice-chancellor Prof Bhalchandra Bhanage, principal investigator Prof Pushpanadham and co-investigators Prof K M Chudasama, officiating registrar; Prof Sunita Nambiar, dean of the faculty of social work; and Dr Virendra Singh, head of the department of sociology.The project team presented the study’s findings and field experiences during the event. Certificates were also awarded to team members in recognition of their contributions to the project.