Deendayal Antodaya Yojana - National Rural livelihoods Mission is an important rural poverty alleviation program implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development with the support of State Governments. The mission is currently being implemented in about 3400 blocks 2.3 lakh villages spread across 520 districts of 29 states and five UTs. It has mobilised about 3.63 crore households into 31 lakh SHGs. Women from rural poor households are provided financial assistance in addition facilitating access to bank loans for undertaking livelihoods activities.
The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India held a national consultation with SHG women of all States and UTs on “transforming lives through livelihoods thrust and Strategy for Poverty Free Gram Panchayats” at Pragati Maidan on April 14, 2017. The event also marked the inauguration of a 10 day Aajeevika Mela that is being organized to promote exhibition and sale of products produced by SHGs from different parts of the country. As part of the mela, 500 Stalls have been set up in Hall No. 18 of Pragati Maidan. About 3,500 SHG women from all states and UTs participated in the consultation.
Amarjeet Sinha, Secretary (RD), Government of India inaugurated the consultation and the mela, while lC Goyal, Chairman, ITPO delivered a special address. Sinha outlined the contours of the Mission Antyodaya that seeks to bring 1 crore households from 50000 gram panchayats spread across 5000 clusters out of poverty. He emphasized the need for promoting effective convergence of all rural development and related programs at the village level.
Sinha also acknowledged the pivotal role played by SHG members in the successful implementation of the rural development programs. In this context, he requested select SHG members to share their experiences in tackling poverty and diversifying their livelihoods. .
l.C. Goyal in his message stated that the DAY-NRlM program is the real answer to rural poverty alleviation in the country as the SHGs promoted could become the effective service delivery agents in the last mile. Goyal acknowledged the critical role played by SHG members working as Community Resource Persons in implementation of DAY-NRlM.