The Department of Panchayat & Rural Development Department is the Administrative Department for all the programme of Employment Generation Programme for poverty alleviation in the rural areas including Wage Employment Programme as well as Self Employment Programme.  The major Self Employment Programme implemented by the Department is Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozger Yojana (SGSY).  The beneficiaries on this programme are families living below the poverty line i.e., having expenditure less than Rs. 274.35 per capita per month. Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozger Yojana (SGSY)   has been launched from April 1, 1999.  The programme replaces the earlier self employment and allied programme – IRDP, TRYSEM, DWCRA, SITRA, GKY and MWS which are no longer in operation.  SGSY is an innovative and carefully thought-out Yojana.  It takes into account all the strength and weaknesses of the earlier self-employment programme.  The main objective is to bring the assisted poor families above the poverty line in three years by providing them income generating assets through a mix of Bank Credit and Government subsidy.  SGSY is a holistic programme covering various aspect of self-employment such as organization of the poor into a self help group, training, credit, technology., infrastructure and marketing.