Programmes of Employment Generation and Poverty Alleviation in India

1. Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)

 SGSY, launched in April, 1999 after restructuring the Integrated Rural Development Programme and allied
schemes, is the only self-employment programme for the rural poor.

 The objective is to bring the self-employed above the poverty line by providing them income-generating
assets through bank credit and Government subsidy.

 Up to November 2005, the Centre and States, sharing the costs on 75:25 basis, had allocated Rs. 8,067
crore, of which Rs. 6,980 crore had been utilized to assist 62.75 lakh self-employed.

2. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

 launched in December, 2000 for one crore poorest of the poor families
 AAY contemplates identification of one crore poorest of the poor families from amongst the BPL families
covered under TPDS within the States and providing them foodgrains at a highly subsidized rate of Rs.2/
per kg. for wheat and Rs. 3/ per kg for rice
 The scale of issue that was initially 25 kg per family per month has been increased to 35 kg per family per
month with effect from 1st April, 2002
 The AAY Scheme has been expanded in 2003-2004 by adding another 50 lakh households from amongst
the BPL families
 the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) has further been expanded with effect from 1st August, 2004 by
another 50 lakh BPL families
 As announced in the Union Budget 2005-06, the AAY has further been expanded to cover another 50 lakh
BPL households thus increasing its overage to 2.5 crore households

3. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)

 Launched in December 2000 as a 100 per cent CSS, PMGSY aims to provide all-weather connectivity to
all the eligible unconnected rural habitations.

 The systematic upgradation of the existing rural road network also is an integral component of the scheme

 Funded mainly from the accruals of diesel cess in the Central Road Fund, with support of the multilateral
funding agencies and the domestic financial institutions

4. The Integrated Rural Development Programme

 launched in Financial Year 1978 and extended throughout India by 1980.

 It is a self-employment program intended to raise the income-generation capacity of target groups among
the poor.

 The target group consists largely of small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers and rural artisans
living below the poverty line

 Funded on 50:50 basis by the Centre and State.

 The Scheme is merged with another Scheme named swarnjayanti gram swarozgar yojana (SGSY) since
01.04.1999.

5. NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME

 The NREP was launched in October, 1980 and became a regular Plan programme from April, 1981.

 The programme was expected to generate additional gainful employment in the rural areas, to the extent of
300-400 million man-days per annum, create durable community assets, and improve nutritional status and
living standards of the poor.

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 According to the guidelines, food grains were to be provided at the rate of 1 kg per man day.

 The creation of durable assets was an important objective of this Programme and, in fact, the real
distinguishing feature between the Food for Work Programme and the NREP

6. RURAL LANDLESS EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE PROGRAMME (RLEGP)

 Introduced from 15th August, 1983

 Fully financed by the Central Government

 Objectives:

(a) Improving and expanding employment opportunities for the rural landless with a view to providing
guarantee of employment to at least one member of every landless household upto 100 days in a year

(b) Creating durable assets for strengthening the infrastructure so as to meet the growing requirements of
the rural economy

7. Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY)

 IAY aims to provide dwelling units, free of cost, to the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs),
and freed bonded labourers, and also the non-SC/ST BPL families in rural areas.

 It is funded on a cost-sharing basis in the rates of 75.25 between the Centre and the States.

 Under IAY, the ceiling on construction assistance is Rs.25,000/- per unit in the plains and Rs.27,500/- for
hilly/difficult areas; and Rs. 12,500/- on upgradation of unserviceable kutcha house to pucca/semi pucca
house for all areas.

8. DROUGHT-PRONE AREA PROGRAMME (DPAP)

 Launched in 1973-74 in some selected Draught Prone Areas of the country.

 Financial arrangement is on the ratio of 75:25 by the Centre and the State.
 Objective - developing the land, water, livestock and human resources of these areas.

9. Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWACRA)

 Started in the year 1982-83, on a pilot basis, in 50 districts and has now been extended to all the districts of
the country

 Directed at improving the living conditions of women and, thereby, of children through the provision of
opportunities for self-employment and access to basic social services.

 The programme also envisages that this target group would be the focus for convergence of other services
like family welfare, health care, nutrition, education, childcare, safe drinking water, sanitation and shelter
to improve the welfare and quality of life of the family and the community.

10. Self-employment Scheme to Educated Unemployed Youth

 The scheme was started in 1983 with an annual target of 2.5 lakh beneficiaries. 30% of the total
beneficiaries are reserved for SC/ST persons.

 Unemployed Youth in the age group of 19-35 years who are Matriculates and above are eligible for
assistance under this scheme

 A ceiling of income of Rs. 10,000 per annum, per family, has been fixed for eligibility under the scheme

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 A composite loan not exceeding and Rs.15,000/- for business sector is provided. 25% subsidy is provided
by the Govt. on the loans. Banks do not require collateral guarantee or margin money for such loads

11. Jawahar Rozgar Yojna

 JRY was launched as a centrally sponsored scheme on April 1st, 1989 by merging the National Rural
Employment Programme (NREP) and Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP).

 The main objective of the programme was the generation of additional gainful employment for
unemployed and under employed men and women in rural areas through creation of rural economic
infrastructure, community and social assets.

 The programme was targeted at people living below poverty line with preference to SCs/STs and freed
bonded labourers. At least 30% employment was to be provided to women under the scheme.

 JRY had been restructured and streamlined with effect from April, 1999 and had been renamed as JGSY.

12. Nehru Rozgar Yojana (NRY)

 In order to alleviate the conditions of urban poor, a Centrally Sponsored programme - Nehru Rozgar
Yojana - was launched at the end of the Seventh Five Year Plan (October 1989)

 The objective of the scheme was to provide employment to the urban unemployed and underemployed
poor

 The NRY consisted of three schemes namely

 (i) the Scheme of Urban Micro Enterprises (SUME)

 (ii) the Scheme of Urban Wage Employment (SUWE)

 (iii) the Scheme of Housing and Shelter Upgradation (SHASU)

 The programme was merged with SJSRY in 1997

13. The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY)

 The programme has become operational on December 1, 1997.

 Centrally Sponsored Scheme applicable to all the urban areas with expenditure to be shared in ratio 75:25
between the Centre and States/UTs

 This programme would have two sub-schemes, namely,

☼ (i) Urban Self-Employment Programme and

☼ (ii) Urban Wage Employment Programme.

 The Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana rests on the foundation of community empowerment.

14. The Urban Self Employment Programme (USEP)

 This programme will have three distinct components:-

 Assistance to individual urban poor beneficiaries for setting up gainful self-employment ventures.

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 Assistance to groups of urban poor women for setting up gainful self-employment ventures which
may be called "The Scheme for Development of Women and Children in the Urban Areas
(DWCUA)".

 Training of beneficiaries, potential beneficiaries and other persons associated with the urban
employment programme for upgradation and acquisition of vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
 Components:
(i) Self-employment through setting up Micro-enterprises and Skill development
(ii) Development of Women and Children in Urban Areas

15. Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojana (P.M.R.Y)

 Introduced for providing self-Employment to Educated Unemployed Youth was announced by the Prime
Minister on 15th August, 1993.
 The Scheme has been formally launched on 2nd October, 1993 .
 It relates to the setting up of the self-employment ventures through industry, service and business routes

16. Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana

 Launched on April 1, 1999

 The programme replaces the earlier self-employment and allied programmes - IRDP, TRYSEM, DWCRA,
SITRA, GKY and MWS
 SGSY aims at establishing a large number of micro-enterprises in the rural areas, building upon the
potential of the rural poor
 Persons assisted under this programme will be known as Swarozgaris and not beneficiaries.

17. Employment Assurance Scheme

 Launched on 2nd October, 1993 for implementation in 1778 identified backward blocks of different states.
 At present, the scheme is being implemented in all the rural blocks of the country
 Primary objective of the EAS is to provide gainful employment during the lean agricultural season in
manual work to all able bodied adults in rural areas who are in need and desirous of work, but cannot find
it. The work may be either on farm or on other allied operations or on the normal plan/ no-plan works
during such a period.
 The secondary objective is the creation of community, social and economic assets for sustained
employment and development

18. Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana

 New version of the erstwhile Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY)

 It has been launched on 1st April, 1999
 It has been designed to improve the quality life of the rural poor by providing them additional
gainful employment. 
 The primary objective: Creation of demand-driven village infrastructure including durable assets to enable
the rural poor to increase the opportunities for sustained employment
 The secondary objective: The generation of supplementary employment for the unemployed poor in the
rural areas.   

19. Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP)

 Launched on 1st April, 1995

MAIN OBJECTIVES
 To generate employment in rural areas
 To develop entrepreneurial skill and attitude among rural unemployed youth.
 To achieve the goal of rural industrialization.
 To facilitate participation of financial institutions for higher credit flow to rural industries.  
Training - Once the project is sanctioned by financing branch of the Bank, before releasing the second instalment
of loan, beneficiary is to be imparted 3-day training arranged by the State/Regional Director

20. Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana

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 Launched on 25 September 2001 by merging the provisions of Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) and
Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY)
 The programme aims to provide employment and food to people in rural areas who lived below the poverty
line.
 The scheme had special provisions for women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and parents of children
withdrawn from hazardous occupations
 Both BPL and APL people are eligible under this scheme.

21. Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojna: GRAMIN AWAAS

 Started in 2000-01       

 The target group for houses under scheme will be the people who are living below the poverty line in the
rural areas, belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and non-SC/ST
categories.
 The houses should be designed in accordance with the wishes of the beneficiaries, keeping in view the
climatic conditions and the need to provide ample space, kitchen, ventilation, sanitary facilities and
smokeless chulha as also the community perceptions, preferences and cultural attitudes.
 Provision Of Smokeless Chulha and Sanitary Latrin

22. Swayam Sidha

 In the year 1996 the GOI sanctioned the scheme the Indira Mahila Yojana (IMY) to implement in 14
blocks of Chittoor and Mahabubnagar Districts of A.P.
 Subsequently the IMY scheme has been renamed as IWEP (Integrated Women Empowerment Programme)
i.e., Swayamsidha, and the Scheme is extended up to 2001-07 March, in 38 Blocks.
 The main objective of the Programme is to create confidence and awareness among members of SHGs
regarding Women’s status, Health, Nutrition, Education, Sanitation & Hygiene, Legal rights Economic
upliftment and other Social Economic and political issues.

23. Janshree Bima Yojna

 Special life insurance scheme for the member of Primitive Tribe Groups Sponsored by both: Central &
State Government Funding Pattern 50:50
 The objective of this scheme to cover the head of a Primitive Tribe family under life insurance scheme for
5 years.
 The age of the beneficiary should be between 18 to 60 years.
 The life Insurance will be done by Life Insurance Corporation of India
 The family of the insured person will get Rs 20,000/- if the death is natural and will get Rs 50,000/- if the
death is accidental. The insured person will get Rs 50,000/- if he becomes permanently disable but will get
Rs 25,000/- if the disability is partial.

24. VALMIKI AMBEDKAR AWAS YOJANA (VAMBAY)

 Primary objective: to facilitate the construction and upgradation of the dwelling units for the slum dwellers
and to provide health and enabling urban environment through community toilets under Nirmal Bharat
Abhiyan, a component of the scheme. 
 Launched by on 2nd December 2001, at Hyderabad. 
 This is the first scheme of its kind meant exclusively for slum dwellers with a Government of India subsidy
of 50 per cent; the balance 50 per cent to be arranged by the State Government with ceiling costs
prescribed both for dwelling units/community toilets.  
 VAMBAY and the discontinued National Slum Development Programme (NSDP) have been subsumed in
a new scheme called Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP).
 This scheme was launched along with Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) by
the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 3rd December 2005.
 IHSDP aims at having an integrated approach to ameliorate the conditions of the urban slum dwellers who
do not possess adequate shelter and reside in dilapidated conditions.
 The scheme is applicable to all cities and towns as per 2001 Census
 IHSDP is funded on 80:20 basis between Central Government and State Government and and 90:10 basis
between Central Government and Special category States. 

25. National Food for Work Programme

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 Launched in November, 2004 in 150 most backward districts of the country
 The objective of the programme was to provide additional resources to 150 most backward districts of the
country so that generation of supplementary wage employment and providing of food-security through
creation of need based economic, social and community assets in these districts are further intensified.
 The scheme was 100 per cent centrally sponsored.
 The Act provides 100 days of work guarantee to every rural household whose members volunteer to do
unskilled manual work.

26. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005

 This legislation guarantees at least 100 day’s employment per year to every rural household.
 The Bill was passed in 2004 to become an Act.
 To start with, this Act was implemented in 200 districts across the country. The M G National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act differs from earlier schemes in that its starting point is the empowerment of
rural people, rather than "providing" employment to the poor.
 Every person who has done the work given to him under the Scheme shall be entitled to receive wages
fixed by the State Government
 State governments, Panchayati Raj institutions, as well as non-government organisations (NGOs) will be
involved in implementing this Act.

27. Bharat Nirman Yojna

 Launched in 2005
 It comprises projects on irrigation, roads (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana), housing (Indira Awaas
Yojana), water supply (National Rural Drinking Water Programme), electrification (Rajiv Gandhi Grameen
Vidyutikaran Yojana) and telecommunication connectivity
 It aims at providing safe drinking water to all the under developed areas in India by 2012.
 It also aims to develop housing facilities for the poor. Initially the scheme targeted 60 lakh additional
houses to be constructed for the poor within the year 2009, but now the plan has been extended to 2014 and
the targeted house to be constructed has been increased to 1.2 crore.
 The plan also includes to cover 40% of the rural area with telecommunication facilities by the year 2014
and to provide broadband coverage to all the 2.5 lakh Panchayats by the year 2012.
 The plans suggests to construct all weather roads by the year 2012 in order to connect all the villages of
India having a minimum population of 1000 ( 500 in case of hilly or tribal areas).
 The plan aims to provide electricity to every village by the year 2012.
 The plan aims to provide an additional one crore hectare of irrigational land by the year 2012.

28. Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)

 Launched by merging the two schemes namely Prime Minister's Rojgar Yojana PMRY & REGP for
generation of employment opportunities through establishment of micro enterprises in rural as well as
urban areas on 15-08-2008
 Central sector scheme
 The Scheme is implemented by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at the National level &
through State KVIC Directorates, State Khadi and Village Industries Boards (KVIBs) and District
Industries Centres (DICs) and banks at the State Level
OBJECTIVES:
 To generate employment opportunities in rural as well as urban areas through setting up of self
employment ventures
 To bring together widely dispersed traditional artisans/ rural and urban unemployed youth and give them
self-employment opportunities to the extent possible, at their place and also to increase their income
 To provide continuous and sustainable employment to a large segment of traditional and prospective
artisans and unemployed youth, so as to help arrest migration of rural youth to urban areas.

29. Universal Health Insurance Scheme

 Inaugurated on July 2003

 Reimbursement of medical expenses upto Rs 30000 towards hospitalisation
 Death cover due to accident – Rs 25000 to the head of the family
 Compensation due to loss of earning of the earning member @ Rs. 50 per day upto a max. of 15 days

30. National Rural Health Mission

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Programmes of Employment Generation and Poverty Alleviation in India
 Launched on 12th April, 2005
 Operationalised throughout the country
 Innovations:
 Creation of a cadre of Accredited Social Rural Activists (ASHA)
 Improve health care
 Decentralisation at district levelto improve intra and inter-sectoral convergence
 Effective utilisation of resources through NGOs and community in general

31. Rural Electrification Policy

 Notified on August 23. 2006

 Aims at:
 provision of access to electricity to all households by year 2009
 Quality and reliable power supply
 Minimum lifeline consumption of 1 unit per household per day as a merit good by year 2012

32. Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitaran Yojna (RGGLPGVY)

 Launched on October 16, 2009

 Targets coverage of 75% of the populatiion by 2015 by release of 5.5 crore new LPG connections

33. Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalay (KGBV)

 Launched in July 2004 for setting up residential schools at upper primary level for girla belonging
predominantly to SC, St, OBC and minority communities
 2573 KGBVs - sanctioned (upto March 2009)
 Merged with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2007

34. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

 Launched in 2001
 Goals:
 All 6-14 age children in school
 Bridge all gender and category gaps
 Universal retention by 2010
 Focus on the quality of primary education
 Funding: 9th plan – 85:15, 10th plan 75:25, therafter 50;50 between Centre and State
 Covers entire country
 Stress on schooling and strengthening school infrastructure
 Seeks provide computer education also

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