INCLUSION OF RURAL FAMILIES IN DAY-NRLM

1. At a Glance

• DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission) is the Ministry of Rural Development's flagship poverty-alleviation programme that mobilises rural poor households — especially women — into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations [S1][S2].
• The scheme has cumulatively mobilised 10.05 crore rural poor households into 90.90 lakh SHGs, making it the world's largest community-women institutional architecture for livelihoods [S1][S2].
• Relevant for GS-II (welfare schemes, vulnerable sections) and GS-III (inclusive growth, rural economy, financial inclusion).

2. Why in the News

• PIB release dated 6 February 2026 by Ministry of Rural Development summarising cumulative inclusion figures (10.05 crore households into 90.90 lakh SHGs) and highlighting role of Bank Sakhis in enhancing SHG–bank credit linkage [S1].
• Jharkhand-specific data flagged: 35.90 lakh households mobilised into 2.92 lakh SHGs [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• 2010: NRLM launched as a mission-mode scheme by restructuring the erstwhile Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) [S2].
• June 2011: NRLM formally rolled out by Ministry of Rural Development [S2].
• 2013: Re-christened as Aajeevika – NRLM in implementation phase [S2].
• November 2015 / 2016: Renamed Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – NRLM (DAY-NRLM) [S2].
• 2023: Launch of national campaign "Sangathan se Samriddhi" to mobilise the residual 10 crore rural women into SHGs [S2].

4. Core Static Facts

• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India [S2].
• Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme (cost-shared with States; partly World Bank aided via National Rural Livelihoods Project – NRLP) [S2].
• Coverage: Implemented in 7,135 blocks across 742 districts in 28 States and 6 UTs (excludes Delhi and Chandigarh) as of 30 June 2024 [S2].
• Cumulative mobilisation: 10.05 crore rural poor households into 90.90 lakh SHGs (as of Feb 2025 / Feb 2026 release) [S1][S2].
• Jharkhand: 35.90 lakh households, 2.92 lakh SHGs [S1].
• Financial support to SHGs: Revolving Fund (RF) and Community Investment Fund (CIF) [S2].
• Community cadres: Includes Bank Sakhi, Krishi Sakhi, Pashu Sakhi, BC Sakhi, etc. [S1].
• Predecessor: SGSY (1999) → NRLM (2010/11) → Aajeevika → DAY-NRLM (2015/16) [S2].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic - Channelises bank credit to rural women via SHG–bank linkage; Bank Sakhis facilitate loan applications, repayment, enhancements at branches [S1]. - Builds diversified livelihoods (farm + non-farm) to lift households out of abject poverty [S2].

Social / Gender - Targets women of poor rural households as primary agents — central to women's economic empowerment narrative ("Lakhpati Didi" linkage) [S1][S2]. - Inclusion is demand-driven and universal among poor; uses Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) rather than only BPL list [S2].

Administrative / Governance - Three-tier institutional architecture: SHG → Village Organisation (VO) → Cluster Level Federation (CLF) [S2]. - States set up dedicated State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs); bottlenecks include uneven state capacity (Bihar JEEViKA, Kerala Kudumbashree, AP SERP are high-capacity outliers) [S2].

Financial Inclusion - Bank Sakhi model: assists SB account opening, loan documentation, repayment follow-up — bridges last-mile gap between SHGs and banks [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 6 Feb 2026: PIB statement consolidating 10.05 crore households / 90.90 lakh SHGs inclusion data; Bank Sakhi role detailed [S1].
• 28 Feb 2025: Cumulative figure of 10.05 crore women / 90.90 lakh SHGs reported [S2].
• 30 June 2024: Coverage of 7,135 blocks across 742 districts in 28 States & 6 UTs achieved [S2].
• Ongoing Sangathan se Samriddhi campaign (launched 2023) to mobilise remaining eligible women [S2].

7. Prelims Hooks

• DAY-NRLM is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development, not Ministry of Women & Child Development [S2].
• NRLM launched in 2010; rolled out June 2011; renamed DAY-NRLM in 2015/16 [S2].
• Restructured from Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) of 1999 [S2].
• Implemented in 28 States + 6 UTs; Delhi and Chandigarh excluded [S2].
• Two key funding instruments to SHGs: Revolving Fund (RF) and Community Investment Fund (CIF) [S2].
• Cumulative inclusion: 10.05 crore households into 90.90 lakh SHGs [S1].
• Jharkhand: 35.90 lakh households into 2.92 lakh SHGs [S1].
• Bank Sakhi = community cadre deployed at bank branches for SHG credit linkage [S1].
• World Bank supports DAY-NRLM through the National Rural Livelihoods Project (NRLP) [S2].
• "Sangathan se Samriddhi" campaign launched in 2023 to mobilise 10 crore women [S2].
• SHG architecture: SHG → Village Organisation → Cluster Level Federation [S2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II — Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; mechanisms, laws, institutions for the protection of vulnerable sections.
• GS-III — Inclusive growth; issues relating to mobilisation of resources; rural economy; financial inclusion.
• Possible question stems: 1. "SHG–bank linkage under DAY-NRLM has transformed rural women's access to formal credit. Critically examine." 2. "Discuss the role of community cadres such as Bank Sakhis in deepening financial inclusion in rural India." 3. "Evaluate DAY-NRLM as an instrument for poverty alleviation and women empowerment, citing inter-state variations."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• SHG–Bank Linkage Programme (NABARD, 1992) — historical antecedent of SHG-credit ecosystem.
• PM Vishwakarma & Lakhpati Didi initiative — converges with SHG livelihoods.
• PMAY-G, MGNREGA, PMGSY — sister rural development flagships.
• Stand-Up India, MUDRA Yojana — alternate micro-credit channels.
• Kudumbashree (Kerala), JEEViKA (Bihar) — best-practice SRLMs.
• Business Correspondent / BC Sakhi model — financial inclusion cadre.
• NRETP & NRLP (World Bank) — additional financing arms.
• Aspirational Districts Programme — geographical convergence frame.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing DAY-NRLM (rural, MoRD) with DAY-NULM (urban, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs).
• Mis-stating launch year: NRLM = 2010/2011, renaming as DAY-NRLM = 2015/16 (not 2011).
• Wrong predecessor: it replaced SGSY (1999), not IRDP directly.
• Assuming all India coverage — Delhi and Chandigarh are excluded [S2].
• Confusing Bank Sakhi (at bank branch, credit linkage) with BC Sakhi (Business Correspondent under DFS).

11. Sources

• [S1] Inclusion of Rural Families in DAY-NRLM, PIB, Ministry of Rural Development, 6 Feb 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2224571 — (tier 1)
• [S2] Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission, PIB — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2181702 — (tier 1)