About the Seminar

This seminar brings 3ie's evaluation evidence into dialogue with policy and practice, presenting headline findings on income, consumption, financial inclusion, and women's economic empowerment from a five-year, two-round panel design. It convenes researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and development partners to discuss implications for future programming and opportunities to scale evidence-informed livelihood interventions.

Venue: Lecture Room 2, India International Centre (Annexe), New Delhi

Background

Launched in 2011 by the Ministry of Rural Development, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is one of India's flagship anti-poverty programs.

In partnership with the Ministry of Rural Development, the Gates Foundation, and the World Bank, 3ie evaluated DAY-NRLM through a panel study tracking 23,000 households across 9 states (2019–2020), followed by a 2023–2024 round assessing DAY-NRLM and National Rural Economic Transformation Project’s (NRETP) long-term impact on income, consumption, and women's empowerment. Together, the two rounds offer rare longitudinal evidence on how a phased poverty-alleviation program performs as community institutions mature.

By the numbers:

  • 1,059 villages, 5,148 SHGs, and over 23,000 households tracked
  • 9 states covered
  • 2 rounds of evaluation

Agenda

TimeSessionSpeaker(s)
2:15 – 2:20 PMOpening remarksMs Neelakshi Mann, Program-Director Asia, 3ie
2:20 – 2:25 PMInaugural remarksMs Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director, Gender Equality, Gates Foundation
2:25 - 2:30 PMKeynote address Mr Amit Shukla, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India 
2:30 – 3:10 PMPresentation of findings and Q&ADr Anjini Kochar, Senior Research Fellow, 3ie
3:10 – 4:30 PMPanel discussion
  • Mr Sampath Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Meghalaya
  • Ms Smriti Sharan, Member, Customer Satisfaction, Postal Services Board  
  • Dr Monika Bhutunguru, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development
  • Dr Anjini Kochar, Senior Research Fellow, 3ie
  • Mr Sudhanshu Sharma, Programme Officer, Gates Foundation
  • Mr Shantanu Kumar, Agricultural Economist, World Bank
  • Mr Raman Wadhwa, Deputy Director, Admin, NRLPS, Ministry of Rural Development (Moderator)
4:25 – 4:35 PMClosing remarks3ie
4:35 – 5:00 PMHigh tea 

*Please note that this event is by invitation only.