AAJEEVIKA
- During 1980s, Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) used to be one of the major programmes of this Ministry that directly targeted poor families for creation of assets, skill development and self-employment.
- The Planning Commission set up a committee under the chairmanship of SR Hashim in 1997, the report of which formed the basis for shifting from an individual beneficiary approach to a group-based approach for poverty alleviation.
- The Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) became major sustainable income generation through self employment and micro-enterprise development programme to be implemented by the states, with effect from April 1999.
- The cornerstone of the SGSY strategy was that the poor need to be organized into Self Help Groups (SHGS) and their capacities built up systematically so that they can access self-employment opportunities and establish effective linkages between the various components of the programme such as availability of credit, technology transfer/up-gradation, marketing and infrastructure.
- Raclhakrishna Committee on Credit Related Issues related to SGSY, set up by the Ministry of Rural Development in April, 2008 reported the shortcomings in implementation of SGSY like mobilisation of rural poor and formation of SHGs across the States, insufficient capacity building of beneficiaries etc.
- Based on the findings of the report, SGSY was restructured as National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), subsequently renamed as “Aajeevika”, to implement it in a mission mode across the country.
- The programme was formally launched on 3rd June, 2011. A further restructuring of NRLM based on the lessons from early implementation took place in May, 2013.
Key Features of NRLM:
- Universal Social Mobilization
- Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP)
- Funds to the community as Resources in Perpetuity
- Universal Financial Inclusion
- Mission Mode Implementation
- Implementation by the Poor
AAJEEVIKA SKILLS
- It is the skill and placement initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India (MORD).
- It is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) the Mission for poverty reduction is called Aajeevika.
- It aims to skill rural youth who are poor and provide them with jobs with regular monthly wages at or above the minimum wages.
- It has its origin in the ‘Special Project’ component of the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY).
- The Programme was revisited in the light of the new skills framework and restructured under NRLM as ‘Aajeevika Skills’ after wide consultations.
- Ministry notified comprehensive Guidelines for Aajeevika Skills in September,
Features of Aajeevika Skills:
- Placement linked, market driven training for 3 months to 12 months to rural poor youth between the age of 18-35 with 75% assured placement with facility for providing customized residential and non-residential training; social inclusion through mandatory 33% candidates to be women in every project.
- 50% of target candidates from SC / ST families (nationally, in each State it will vary depending on their percentage share in population).
- 15% to belong to Minorities and 3% may be allotted to differently-abled persons and regional inclusion through:
- Himayat: A special scheme for the youth (rural & urban) of Jammu & Kashmir.
- Roshni: A special initiative for the rural youth of poor families in 27 Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) districts across nine States. Northeast Region: 10% of programme funds secured for States in the North East region.
