Studying India’s livelihoods program and rural transformation
We are studying the impacts of India’s flagship program for livelihood promotion and women’s empowerment, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). 3ie’s endline evaluation, in partnership with Vrutti, provides insights and learning for policy and will play a key role in shaping the program’s future direction and strategic priorities as DAY-NRLM completes 15 years in 2026. It builds on our earlier collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development, the Gates Foundation and the World Bank,
DAY-NRLM built human and social capital by developing leaders—community resource persons (CRPs) and community paraprofessionals—to promote livelihoods. The CRPs are handpicked from SHG networks to uplift their peers and facilitate skill development in critical areas such as agriculture, livestock management and other areas of livelihood promotion. Read this blog to learn how these trusted advisors and resource persons are redefining how rural women contribute to creating pathways for sustainable livelihoods, stronger communities, and inclusive growth
3ie’s recent evaluation studies the impact of two major government programs—the DAY-NRLM and the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP). It uses data collected from approximately 23,000 households across nine states in India to derive the impact estimates that can be credibly attributed to the two programs. Our causal estimates show significant impacts of both NRLM and NRETP. Read this summary brief to learn more.
This brief presents the findings of 3ie’s evaluation of the DAY-NRLM program using data from two rounds of surveys conducted across nine states and including over 23,000 households, and 5000 women’s groups and community-based institutions. The evaluation provides evidence for DAY-NRLM’s phased, layered approach to poverty alleviation and women’s empowerment, while building robust community institutions. Read the brief to learn more.
Overview
Between 2019 and 2024, many parts of the country saw the rollout and execution of one of DAY-NRLM's biggest interventions—the National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP). As part of evaluating the overall impacts of DAY-NRLM, 3ie undertook its second study of NRLM, including NRETP, to assess the impact of the interventions on household income, consumption, and measures of women’s empowerment. Keeping our 2019 study sample as the baseline, 3ie’s analysis compared changes in outcomes over a five-year period—2019 and 2024—of early blocks (11 years of program exposure) to late blocks (7 years of exposure), assessing medium-term impacts relative to earlier phases.
The additional NRETP layer was introduced in a relatively narrow geography drawn from 100 districts with the highest amount of social mobilization and group capitalization to scale up existing successful interventions and transform them into larger economic clusters. It created a set of ‘aggregators’, such as ‘producer groups’, to consolidate outputs and access better markets. We identified a set of intensive blocks in which new income and livelihood-enhancing activities have been undertaken since 2018 and a parallel set of non-intensive blocks. We have used a "difference-in-difference" analysis whereby we compared outcomes in ‘treatment’ villages, i.e. villages with NRETP, to ‘control’ villages that did not have it. Our evaluation focuses on the impact of NRETP interventions seeking to provide financial and technical support for skills and enterprises, producer collectives, innovative livelihood methods, digital financial inclusion, among others.
Study sample for SHGs and households across nine states
Activities
3ie shares insights with policymakers at the Post-Budget Webinar Series
On 1 March 2025, 3ie’s Dr Anjini Kochar and Neelakshi Mann participated in a Post Budget Webinar on Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Rural Development, India. The discussion focused on ensuring an inclusive and sustainable rural development strategy. Drawing on 3ie's research for the Indian Ministry of Rural Development, Dr Kochar spoke about the importance of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission for rural prosperity and resilience in the country. The panel brought together expert stakeholders from the public and private sector, academia, industry and practitioners working on implementation strategies across sectors.
From saving together to leading change: A rural woman’s NRLM journey | A short animation film
Community Resource Persons (CRPs) and grassroots women leaders are a cornerstone of the program. Typically emerging from self-help group (SHG) networks themselves, these women receive training to support financial inclusion, livelihood development, and peer learning within their communities. Because they share similar social and economic backgrounds with the women they mentor, they play a vital role in building trust, spreading practical knowledge, and strengthening collective confidence across villages in India.
The animation produced by 3ie illustrates how this leadership pathway unfolds in practice. The story reflects a broader reality on the ground: participation in these collectives often enables women to gain independence, recognition, and a stronger voice in household and community decision-making, while reinforcing a cycle of peer support and empowerment for future members.
