Suppose you are a resident of a village, suggest a few measures to tackle the problem of poverty.

Following measures have been taken by the government to remove poverty under five-year plans:

(i) Integrated Rural Development Programme : With a view to remove poverty in rural areas and making provision for full employment under this programme, attempts are being made to provide more employment by developing agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, small scale and cottage industries etc. in 5111 blocks of the country.

(ii) Jawahar Rozgar Yojna : It was launched in 1989. Its aim was to provide employment to atleast one member of a rural poor family for 50 to 100 days in a year.

(iii) Jawahar Gram Samriddhi Yojna (JGSY) : It was launched on 1 April 1999. It has two main objectives : (i) Creation of durable productive community assets at the village level (ii) Generation of supplementary employment for the unemployed poor in the rural areas. The programme is implemented entirely at the village panchayat level.

(iv) Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna (SGSY) : It was started on 1 April 1999. Its aims are (i) Focussed approach to poverty alleviation, (ii) Capitalising advantages of group lending, (iii) Overcoming the problems associated with multiplicity of programmes. It covers all aspects of self-employment. It integrates various agencies. The objective of this yojna is to bring the existing poor families above the poverty.

(v) Employment Assurance Scheme : The programme is presently being implemented in all the rural blocks. Its objectives are : (i) Creation of additional wage employment opportunities during the period of acute shortage for the rural poor living below the poverty line, (ii) Creation of durable community, social and economic assets for sustained economic development.

(vi) Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojna (PMGY) : It was introduced in 2000-2001 focussing on village level development in five critical areas, health, primary education, drinking water, housing and rural roads with the objectives of improving the quality of life of people in the rural areas.

(vii) Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojna (SGRY) : It was launched with effect from September 2001. The scheme aims at providing wage employment in rural areas as also food security, creation of durable community, social and economic assets.

(viii) Grameen Rozgar Guarantee Scheme : It was lanuched in February 2005 to provide work for 100 days a year in rural areas.