Over the years, the Government of India has introduced various Poverty Alleviation Programmes (PAPs) to address both rural and urban poverty. These programmes aim to generate employment, provide food security, and support social welfare.
Let us examine two prominent initiatives:
1. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005
Overview:
MGNREGA is a landmark legislation enacted to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Key Features:
- Legal right to work.
- Wages paid according to state-wise notified wage rates.
- Focus on creating durable assets such as roads, ponds, and canals.
- Women are encouraged to participate (at least one-third beneficiaries must be women).
- Work must be provided within a 5 km radius; otherwise, additional wages are paid.
Impact:
- MGNREGA has improved rural income and livelihood security.
- It has strengthened grassroots democracy through Panchayati Raj Institutions.
- During droughts or economic shocks (e.g., COVID-19), it has served as a vital safety net.
Grammar Tip: When discussing programmes, use present simple tense for ongoing features (“It provides…”) and past tense for historical impacts (“It helped during…”).
2. National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), 2011 – renamed as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM (DAY-NRLM)
Overview:
This mission aims to promote self-employment and organized livelihood opportunities for the rural poor by forming Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and providing them with skills, credit, and market linkages.
Key Features:
- Mobilization of women into SHGs.
- Capacity building, training, and hand-holding support.
- Access to microfinance and bank linkages.
- Promotion of rural entrepreneurship and agro-based enterprises.
Impact:
- Enhanced financial inclusion for poor women.
- Increased household savings and access to microcredit.
- Improved decision-making power and confidence among women members.
Vocabulary Perk: Livelihood (noun) refers to the means of securing the necessities of life. It is broader than employment, including farming, trade, or crafts.
Conclusion:
Poverty remains one of the most pressing challenges in India and globally. Its characteristics are complex and interrelated, spanning economic, social, and environmental dimensions. However, through focused poverty alleviation programmes such as MGNREGA and NRLM, governments can make significant strides in reducing vulnerability, increasing social equity, and empowering communities. Effective implementation, transparency, and convergence with other development programmes are crucial to realizing the long-term goals of poverty eradication.