Over 4,000 cities to be under poverty alleviation schemes

The central government Thursday increased the number of cities and towns to be covered under the current urban poverty alleviation programmes from 790 to 4,041.

Announcing the decision here, Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) Minister Venkaiah Naidu said that covering 4,041 statutory cities and towns will be like bringing the entire population under the poverty removal schemes.

Naidu was speaking at the National Convention on Skills for the Rural and Urban Poor where he along with Rural Development Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana.

The scheme aims at imparting skill training to improve livelihoods of people in both urban and rural areas.

"The developing countries would need 5.70 crore trained people and by 2020 we aim to train 4.70 crore people through skill training," Gadkari said.

Stressing that skill upgradation is the "need of the hour to create wealth", Naidu said: "If India is to emerge as the manufacturing base to meet the global needs, the only certain way is to empower every youth of our country with necessary skills."

Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana will be implemented by the rural development ministry and the housing and urban poverty alleviation ministry.

Out of the 1,000 core earmarked for urban poverty alleviation, HUPA will spend Rs.500 crore on skill development of over 5,00,000 urban poor.

He urged the private players to contribute in imparting skill training and generating employment.