MPRLP UPDATE SERIES NO.

6
SOCIAL PROTECTION
JANUARY 2011

Social
protection
helps to
reduce
poverty
Madhya Pradesh is one of the poorest
Indian states, with a per capita income
75% of the national average. Out of a
population of around 60 million, three-
quarters live in rural areas. More than
a third of the rural population lives
below the poverty line and Scheduled
Photo: © MPRLP/Sandeep Khanwalkar
Tribes and Scheduled Castes are
among the most marginalised and
vulnerable.
“Social protection The way ahead
Poverty-stricken households have addresses chronic
Strengthen knowledge and
nowhere to go when there are poverty” 
understanding among all
emergencies such as illnesses, crop
failure or dying livestock. Life events Sarpanches, Panches,
Sachives and livelihood
such as births, marriages and deaths Generating awareness and promoters of key government
can also tip households into even
simplifying access schemes that support social
deeper poverty. If households have
protection and reduce
assets in the form of chickens or goats, vulnerability to all.
There are a large number of
they can be sold, but households often  Create awareness of
government schemes for social
borrow money which they cannot government social-protection
insurance, social assistance and
repay and find themselves living in workplace protection. However, in schemes in villages.
bondage to moneylenders. spite of persistent Government efforts  Facilitate Gram Sabhas' work
in the remote areas, very few of the with government departments
Social protection1, hand-in-hand with poor know what they are entitled to to get basic social services
other measures to improve livelihoods, or how they can access benefits. and benefits for eligible
addresses chronic poverty and villagers.
vulnerability. MPRLP's approach to  Enhance Gram Sabhas'
Role of the Gram Sabhas capacity to develop micro-
social protection is to make the poor
plans that focus on the poor.
aware of their entitlements, such as MPRLP works through Gram Sabhas to  Work closely with self-help
old age pensions, under existing improve people's understanding of groups to strengthen and
government schemes and, at the same their entitlements and their ability to promote social protection
time, encourage Gram Sabhas (village demand their rights to such benefits as schemes.
assemblies) to direct more resources old-age and widows' pensions and  Work closely with government
to the poorest. food subsidies. The first step was to departments to deliver
adequate services.
1
Social protection is often known as livelihood protection. One definition is that it should "encompass a set of public
actions – carried out by the state or privately – that address risk, vulnerability and chronic poverty".
MADHYA PRADESH RURAL
LIVELIHOODS PROJECT

draw up a list of the most relevant emergencies, villagers can borrow

schemes; now, MPRLP is helping Gram
Sabhas understand how the schemes
work and how they can help the poor
access benefits.
Gram Sabhas are not always attuned to
the needs of the poor, the socially
deprived, the physically and mentally
handicapped, widows and the old when
deciding community priorities. MPRLP
encourages Gram Sabhas to identify the
poor and take their needs into
consideration when developing village
micro-plans and deciding who should
get grants from Gram Kosh funds.
Village relief funds
3205 village emergency funds have
been set up in project villages. In
Dancing in one of the MPRLP villages.
Photo: © MPRLP/Sandeep Khanwalkar
from these funds and repay on agreed
terms. The very poor are exempt from
repayment, and those who are better
off often make voluntary contributions.
These schemes work well because, in
rural tribal settings, there is no
question about which villagers are
extremely poor.
Safeguarding assets
Microenterprises can provide social
protection because they generate
assets on which households can draw.
To guard these assets, MPRLP
encourages entrepreneurs to form self-
help groups to help develop their
enterprises and provide ways of saving
and borrowing small sums.
The groups help strengthen members'
bargaining position with employers and
support members when they suffer
minor household shocks. The groups
can also establish social insurance
schemes such as crop insurance, price-
stabilisation funds and personal
insurance against sickness, accident or
death. Membership of a self-help group
reduces risk and vulnerability, as
resources do not have to be diverted
away from productive activity when
households experience shocks or stress.
Achievements
 MPRLP has developed
innovative legal literacy tools
to help build awareness in
tribal communities of social
protection rights and
entitlements.
 92,577 poor and very poor
households are covered by
social protection schemes.
 20,783 very poor families and
94,570 poor families have
received help through Gram
Sabhas.
 Two-thirds of Gram Kosh
(community funds) are
allocated to the poor and very
poor.
 3205 emergency funds and
265 grain banks have helped
more than 30,000 households.
 Migration has fallen by 36%.
 Eight villages have created Mata
Ki Rasoi (community kitchens)
to feed the destitute.

Contact
Telephone: +91-(0)755-2766812,
814, 815
Fax: +91-(0)755-2766818
Email: mprlp@mprlp.in
Website: www.mprlp.in

MPRLP is a Government of Madhya Pradesh initiative

funded by the UK Department for International
Development (DFID).

This publication does not necessarily represent the

views of the Department for International
Development.

“3205 village emergency funds have been set up”