Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY) was a major national rural employment program launched in 1989. It was formed by merging the National Rural Employment Program (NREP) and the Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP).
Key Features
- Objective was to provide 90-100 days of employment per person, targeting those below the poverty line.
- Implemented across rural India through Panchayati Raj institutions.
- Expenditure shared between central and state governments in 80:20 ratio.
- Expanded in 1993-94 through increased budget allocation.
- Had 3 streams – general works (75% funds), Indira Awas Yojana and Million Wells Scheme (20%), and innovative programs in backward districts (5%).
- Indira Awas Yojana and Million Wells Scheme components were strengthened.
- Focused on backward districts through the second stream.
Impacts
- Provided employment opportunities in rural areas through creation of public assets.
- Improved housing and water availability through Indira Awas Yojana and Million Wells Scheme.
- Targeted development of backward districts.
The program was replaced by Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana in 1999, which later merged with Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana in 2001. At its peak, JRY was the largest national employment program working towards poverty alleviation in rural India.