Poverty alleviation programme for urban poor in India

New Delhi, June 3 (ANI): Minister of State for Planning V Narayanasamy today said that the Government is mulling an National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)-type poverty alleviation programme for the urban poor.

Talking to reporters after taking over the charge of the Ministry, Narayanasamy said that the government is planning such a scheme for urban poor.

"The government would focus on infrastructure development besides pursuing the employment guarantee scheme, anti-poverty programmes and rural and urban development projects," he added.

Outlining the priority of the second-term of the UPA government, Narayanasamy said that the government would see that there is all round progress in the country.

Under the NREGA scheme, which was launched in February 2006, the government provides 100 days of employment in every financial year to at least one person in a rural household.

Initially launched in 200 districts, the NREGA scheme was gradually extended to cover the entire nation in 2008-09. (ANI)