The Hindu    18.08.2012

Poverty alleviation programme to be implemented in 266 panchayats

Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission Scheme (TNSRLM), a programme to alleviate poverty in rural areas by improving the income of the households, is to be implemented in 266 panchayats in Nagapattinam and Ariyalur district.

In Nagapattinam district, this programme would be implemented in 199 panchayats in the blocks of Semmanarkoil, Kollidam, Vedaranyam, Sirkazhi and Keezhayur during the current financial year, and in Nagapattinam and Thalainayar panchayat unions during 2013-14.

In Ariyalur district, it would be implemented in 67 panchayats in Ariyalur and Aandimadam panchayat unions during the current financial year.

This programme hopes to release the targeted groups from poverty within five to seven years.Originally called Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, it was implemented under the Ministry of Rural Development.

It has now been redesigned as National Rural Livelihood Mission.In Tamil Nadu, it would be implemented as Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission jointly by the State and the Central government.

The Mission aims at creating efficient and effective institutional platforms for the rural pool enabling them to increase their household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services.

It envisages poverty alleviation through creation of community assets and their sustenance through capacity building and self-entrepreneurial endeavours.

It envisions livelihood uplift through identification of the poor, bringing them under the self-help group umbrella and providing an institutional framework for imparting skills and training to beneficiaries.

The scheme is to be implemented with the objective of poverty alleviation among rural ‘below poverty line’ (BPL) households through ‘diversified and gainful self employment and wage employment opportunities’ that would enable sustainable income generation.

While the poor would be the targeted group, the Scheduled Caste and Tribe people, differently abled, the old and the destitute would be given priority.Even with regard to planning, execution, supervision and management the poor themselves would be involved.

One member each from the BPL families would be brought under the self-help group fold and the SHGs already formed would be strengthened and the poor, Scheduled Caste and Tribe, and differently abled would be integrated.

Under this programme, self-help groups would be formed at the village, block and district level.The programme envisages opening of bank account for all members, encouraging savings and thrift, creating loan linkages and ensuring insurance services.