In its efforts towards poverty reduction, the Commissionerate of Rural Development has developed several special initiatives with considerable interventions under its various schemes. The primary objective of these initiatives has been to develop income generating activities so that families living below the poverty line can earn livelihood in a sustainable manner. The special initiatives, with the support of high technical inputs aim at creating and developing these enterprises to the extent that they are at par with the best in the country, and not simply at the level of cottage industries.

The common objectives underlying all the special initiatives have been to:

• Ensure maximum coverage of families living below the poverty line in an assured manner
• Provide the best possible technology that can be maintained and utilized by the poor with local resources
• Hand-hold the beneficiaries on a medium-term basis so that the initiatives are self-sustainable
• Provide forward and backward linkages for sustainability of the new enterprises; and
• Provide training, capacity-building and skill upgradation.

A wide spectrum of development programmes to effect change in the rural areas are implemented by the Commissionerate of Rural Development. These programmes are aimed at poverty reduction, employment generation, infrastructure development and social security. Over the years, the programmes have been modified and new programmes have been launched in order to better respond to the needs of the rural poor.