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National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), renamed Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–NRLM in 2016, empowers rural poor through 87 lakh+ SHGs covering over 9 crore women. DAY-NRLM promotes financial inclusion (₹2.9 lakh crore+ in SHG bank loans by 2024), skill-building, and sustainable livelihoods to reduce poverty and build self-reliant communities.
PWOnlyIAS
August 04, 2025
National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. This mission addresses rural poverty through comprehensive and long-term strategies. It helps poor rural families improve their lives by giving them better ways to earn a living and access financial services.
NRLM follows a community-led approach where people take the lead in shaping their future. It supports the creation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their networks, mainly involving women, so they can work together, build skills, start small businesses, and access banking and government schemes. The goal is to reduce poverty by strengthening local communities and making them more self-reliant.
National Rural Livelihood Mission has been renamed as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission. It was launched in June 2011. DAY-NRLM is built on the belief that people living in poverty have the desire and ability to improve their lives. By organizing them into self-help groups, particularly women, it helps communities take collective action to access better livelihoods and financial services.
It was renamed in 2016 to honor Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and to emphasize its focus on reaching the poorest of the poor. Unlike traditional top-down welfare programs, DAY-NRLM follows a bottom-up approach that puts people at the center.
It listens to local needs and builds from the ground up. By working closely with rural communities, especially women, it helps them take charge of their own progress. It helps in creating jobs, improving incomes, and building a better future step by step. Here is an overview:
| National Rural Livelihood Mission | |
| Feature | Details |
| Official Name | National Rural Livelihood Mission |
| Launched By | Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India |
| Launch Year | June 2011 |
| Renamed As | Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – NRLM |
| Core Strategy | Universal social mobilization, financial inclusion, livelihoods support |
| Target Group | Rural poor households, especially women |
| Implementation Mode | State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) |
To honor the vision of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the NRLM was renamed as DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission). The mission reflects the ideology of “Antyodaya”, i.e., uplifting the most vulnerable and marginalized in society.
DAY-NRLM focuses on creating a self-sustaining ecosystem where rural communities, particularly women, are empowered to form institutions, access resources, and take collective action. The goal is to help them move out of poverty and achieve long-term financial and social security.
The mission works through community-based institutions like self-help groups (SHGs) and their federations to build leadership, develop skills, and promote small enterprises. It also helps rural communities connect with banks, markets, and government services.
The objectives of the National Rural Livelihood Mission are comprehensive and go beyond income generation. The mission aims to build strong institutions of the poor and enable them to access a range of services and opportunities.
National Rural Livelihood Mission Objectives are explained below:
National Rural Livelihood Mission Beneficiaries are not limited to any specific caste, religion, or region. The mission targets rural poor households with a focus on inclusion and equity. It follows a participatory process to identify poor households at the community level using a method called Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP).
Here are the National Rural Livelihood Mission beneficiaries:
The benefits of the National Rural Livelihood Mission are both immediate and long-term. It empowers the poor not only by improving their income but also by enabling them to participate meaningfully in the development process.
Key Benefits of National Rural Livelihood Mission are:
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