The National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), also known as Aajeevika, is a flagship program launched by the Government of India in June 2011 with the aim of reducing poverty and empowering rural poor households through sustainable livelihood opportunities. NRLM is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development and operates across all states and union territories, focusing on enhancing the livelihoods of rural households through targeted interventions and capacity-building initiatives.
Key Objectives of National Rural Livelihoods Mission
Poverty Reduction: NRLM aims to alleviate poverty by empowering rural poor households, particularly women, through the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and income-generating activities. The mission targets the poorest of the poor and socially marginalized groups, including women-headed households, scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs), and other vulnerable sections of society, with the objective of improving their economic status and overall well-being.
Livelihood Enhancement: NRLM focuses on enhancing the livelihoods of rural households by promoting diversified and sustainable livelihood options, including agriculture and allied activities, non-farm enterprises, micro-enterprises, handicrafts, handlooms, animal husbandry, fisheries, and other income-generating activities. The mission emphasizes the development of market-oriented livelihoods that enable rural poor households to increase their income levels, build assets, and improve their standard of living.
Social Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment: NRLM places a strong emphasis on social inclusion and women’s empowerment, aiming to create an enabling environment for the participation and leadership of women in economic activities and decision-making processes. The mission promotes the formation of women’s self-help groups (SHGs), women-led community institutions, and women-centric livelihood initiatives, providing them with access to financial services, skill development training, and entrepreneurial support.
Institutional Strengthening: NRLM focuses on strengthening community institutions, including self-help groups (SHGs), village organizations (VOs), and cluster-level federations (CLFs), to facilitate collective action, mutual support, and sustainable development initiatives at the grassroots level. The mission promotes participatory governance, decentralized planning, and capacity building of community institutions to empower rural communities, enhance their voice and agency, and ensure their effective participation in decision-making processes.
Convergence and Partnerships: NRLM promotes convergence and partnerships with various stakeholders, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, financial institutions, private sector entities, and development partners, to leverage resources, expertise, and networks for implementing livelihood promotion programs effectively. The mission fosters collaboration and coordination among different actors to maximize the impact of interventions and ensure holistic development outcomes in rural areas.
Implementation Mechanism
NRLM is implemented through a decentralized and community-driven approach, with the involvement of state rural livelihoods missions (SRLMs), district rural livelihoods missions (DRLMs), block-level federations (BLFs), and grassroots-level community institutions such as SHGs, VOs, and CLFs. The mission follows a demand-driven approach, wherein rural poor households are empowered to identify their livelihood priorities, access financial services, avail skill development training, and implement income-generating activities through participatory planning processes.
Conclusion
National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is a transformative initiative aimed at reducing poverty, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and empowering rural poor households, particularly women, across India. By focusing on social inclusion, women’s empowerment, institutional strengthening, and livelihood enhancement, NRLM has the potential to catalyse positive change, foster economic empowerment, and improve the quality of life for millions of rural poor households in the country.
