Rajasthan District Poverty Initiatives Project was launched in July 2000, with financial assistance of the World Bank in seven poorest districts of Rajasthan namely Baran, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Jhalawar, Rajsamand and Tonk.

The Project aims at improving the levels of economic activity, productivity and income of targeted 3,50,000 BPL families of 7039 villages of seven selected districts. The project is being implemented through Non Government Organizations (NGO) by forming Common Interest Groups (CIGS) and allowing them to select and implement a sub-project of economic/social benefit. These sub-projects may be of community Infrastructures, Land Based, Social Services or Income Generating in nature.

 

In the last few years have seen a number of powerful and innovative thrusts towards community empowerment, local self Government and decentralization of decision-making especially at the grass roots level. A number of lessons have been learnt. from the successes and problems of these efforts. DPIP consolidates these lessons and evolves a philosophy for development that builds around ideas such as