Q.State any two government programmes aimed at rural employment and poverty alleviation in India.

Several named central programmes specifically target rural employment or livelihoods, and this question only asks for two to be identified with a one-line description. …

Any two of the following may be named, with a brief description:

1. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 — guarantees a minimum number of days of wage employment on public works to rural households that demand it, acting as a safety net especially in the agricultural lean season.
2. National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) / Aajeevika — organises rural poor households, especially women, into Self-Help Groups and links them to credit, skills and market access for a more lasting increase in income. …

Students sometimes describe MGNREGA and NRLM as doing the same thing — MGNREGA is a demand-based wage-employment guarantee for immediate income, while NRLM/Aajeevika aims at a longer-term rise in livelihoods th …