National rural livelihood mission (NRLM) in sonepur district: Scaling the progress

Axiomatically speaking poverty means the state of insufficiency of income, education and health care, free access to the food and shelter, social status, self esteem and self actualisation. Admittedly, since independence India has been fighting with this chronic social evil. Of all these, the unemployment of the Nation stands as a Himalayan barrier in the line of social and economic growth of the country. A growing economy means that economy which aptly eliminates poverty and capable of generating employment. The Govt. of India in the 11th Five Year Plan, to meet the above exigency has introduced a new concept of economic growth i.e. inclusive growth which means, growth of economy through equitable distribution of resources by providing benefits to the every parts of the society being coupled with productive employment. This paper briefly focuses on the various anti poverty schemes introduced by the Govt. Of India at the same breath it highlights on the salient features of the updated anti-poverty program introduced by the Govt of India in the name of National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Furthermore, by using chi-square test it concludes that irrigation facility has an effect on the progress of NRLM in Sonepur district of Western Odisha.