Saturday, July 10, 2010

Poverty alleviation and employment generation programmes

Poverty reduction has been an important goal of development policy since the inception of planning in India. Various antipoverty, employment generation and basic services programmes have been in operation for decades in India.

Anti-poverty, employment generation and basic services programmes

(a) 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. Bharat Nirman, envisages connectivity by 2009 to all the habitations with a population of 1000 or more in the plains, and of 500 or more in the hilly, desert and tribal areas. 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.

(b) 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.

(c ) 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 selfemployed above the poverty line by providing them income-generating assets through bank credit and Government subsidy.

(d) Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY)

SGRY, launched on September 25, 2001 to provide additional wage employment in the rural areas, has a cash and food grains component, and the Centre bears 75 per cent and 100 per cent of the cost of the two with the balance borne by the States/UTs. In 2004-05, 82.23 crore persondays were generated with the Centre releasing Rs. 4,496 crore as cash component and about 50 lakh tonnes of foodgrains to the States/ UTs. Besides, under the special component of the SGRY, with the States/UTs meeting the cash components, Centre released 26 lakh tonnes of foodgrains to the 13 calamity affected States.

(e) National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP)

The NFFWP was launched as a CSS in November 2004 in the 150 most backward districts to generate
additional supplementary wage employment with food security. States receive food grains under NFFWP free of cost. The focus of the programme is on works relating to water conservation, drought proofing (including aforestation /tree plantation), land development, flood-control/protection (including drainage in waterlogged areas), and rural connectivity in terms of all-weather roads. In 2004-05, allocation of Rs 2,020 crore and 20 lakh tonnes of foodgrains generated 7.85 crore persondays of employment.

(f) DPAP, DDP and IWDP

Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) was launched in 1973-74 to tackle the special problems faced by those areas constantly affected by severe drought conditions. Desert Development Programme (DDP) was launched in 1977-78 to mitigate the adverse effects of desertification. Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP) has been under implementation since 1989-90 for the development of wastelands/degraded lands. The basis of implementation has been shifted from sectoral to watershed basis from April 1995.

(g) Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY)

In December 1997, the Urban Self-Employment Programme (USEP) and the Urban Wage Employment Programme (UWEP), which are the two special components of the SJSRY, substituted for various programmes operated earlier for urban poverty alleviation. The SJSRY is funded on a 75:25 basis between the Centre and the States.

Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY)

VAMBAY, launched in December 2001, facilitates the construction and up-gradation of dwelling units for the slum dwellers, and provides a healthy and enabling urban environment through community toilets under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, a component of the Scheme. The Central Government provides a subsidy of 50 per cent, with the balance provided by the State Government.

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