Mission Antyodaya: Towards Greater Convergence

India had been a home to millions of people living in poverty. However, there has been significant strides to eliminate poverty. According to the 2018 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, around 271 million people have moved out of stark poverty in the period 2005-06 and 2015-16. Having stated that, the route towards a poverty free India is still a long way to go. In order to effectively tackle this menace, convergent and concerted efforts are required so as to streamline the various Government schemes aimed for the rural poor with the aim of pulling them out of poverty and the various entailed deprivations.

Still 8.88 crore households remain under the shackles of poverty and deprivation according to the Socio Economic Caste Census of 2011. The poverty stricken people in India experience multiple deprivations like landlessness, shelterless, joblessness, malnutrition,Women headed family, SC/ST household or a disabled member in the family.

To this end, the Mission Antyodaya was announced by the Central Government in the Budget 2017-18. Mission Antyodaya is a framework to enhance convergence and accountability in order to transform lives and livelihoods of the rural people. The mission seeks convergence of various government schemes with the Gram Panchayats being the basic unit for planning. In this context, saturation approach would be used to pool the resources- financial and human- in order to ensure sustainable and equitable livelihoods.

IMPLEMENTATION:

Use of Information and Communication Technologies

Robust Management Information System for improved targeting

Participation of over 25 departments of Central and State Governments

Complete Transparency and Accountability since data from various schemes are to be put in the public domain

Antyodaya app for effective monitoring

Gram Panchayats under this mission are selected by the State Governments mostly from the backward districts

PROCESSES UNDERTAKEN:

To carry out Baseline Survey

Ensure convergence of various schemes

Partnerships among stakeholders like Panchayati Raj Institutions, Self Help Groups, ASHA workers etc to be institutionalised.

OUTCOMES :

Strong Infrastructural base for the selected Gram Panchayats and Clusters

Effective promotion of economic activities through diversification of livelihoods,skill development. Enterprise promotion and Value chain development.

Social Accountability through social audits

Promotion of social capital through participative and collaborative planning.

With this integrating mission, the dream of poverty-free India will soon become a reality. It is therefore imperative that the state government, central government and the local government(PRIs) work in a coordinated manner so as to bring the benefits of the Central Government schemes to each and every beneficiary.

References:

missionantyodaya.nic.in