An Exploratory Analysis of the Programmes and Strategies for Poverty Alleviation in Rural India

Poverty and unemployment have been the bane of India since long. Their reduction has been one of the major goals of India’s development planning since the beginning of the planning era in 1951-52 and the planning process has been sensitive to the needs of the poor. Accordingly, the Government of India has launched various programmes from time to time with an aim to alleviate poverty and unemployment, and to create adequate livelihood opportunities for the poor through provision of employment and public services. Poverty alleviation schemes and programmes have been in pace for a long time now. The programmes and schemes have been modified, consolidated, expanded and improved over time. The targeted programmes fall into four broad categories, (a) self-employment programmes (b) wage-employment programmes (c) public distribution system (PDS) and (d) other social welfare-oriented programmes (SWOP), such as National Social Assistance programme (NSAP), the Aam Admi Bima Yojana (AABY) and the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY).