Asraya (DIRM-Destitute Identification Rehabilitation & Monitoring Programme)

  The destitutes are poorest of the poor. The anti poverty programmes of the country were originally designed with the concept to reach them first following the Antyodaya approach. But since the socio economic and political situations warranted or because of the improved capabilities of the little better poor, the development administrators vitiated the Antyodaya concept and the poorest of the poor left out of all poverty reduction measures of Government. They are now in dismay and distress. They are not in large numbers only very small group, which normally never exceed more than 2% of the total population in any local body. They are the outliers of the development scenario in the negative extreme. They live at the margins of the economy, society and polity. They do not have a “voice” or the power of “choice”. They are not anyone’s constituency or vote bank. They face the worst forms of deprivation and lack of access to the basic minimum services. They are exposed to all forms of vulnerability and do not have any safety net against risks. Their income is below subsistence and they are dependent. These faceless powerless people lack capabilities and are not aware of their entitlements nor can they access them. They cannot compete nor can they bargain. They drift pushed by circumstances. Severity of destitution is by unfavourable physical, gender or caste status. That is, disability being a woman, being a widow, belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Tribe can singly or in combination aggravate the suffering. The collapse of the traditional social support systems has orphaned the destitutes. They are sometimes objects of charity. But they are never subjects of development. They have to be invested with identity, personality and empowered to stand on their own. Only an Antyodaya approach can reach them. Only care and handholding can lift them. They can develop only after a period of well-targeted well-designed welfare. 

  The Asraya programme is designed to rehabilitate the destitute families and attempt to integrate them with the mainstream. The destitute families are identified using transparent risk indices and a participatory need assessment is made to assess the needs of each family. A comprehensive project to address the various deprivations faced by the destitutes such as lack of food, health problems including chronic illness, treatment for deadly diseases, pension, educational facilities to children, land for home, shelter and shelter up gradation, drinking water, safe sanitation facilities, skill development, employment opportunities is prepared. The local body is responsible for converging various services and resources available and to mobilize the funds for implementing the project. The funds are augmented by the Rs 10 Lakh Challenge fund provided by the mission. Projects are implemented with utmost public participation. Community based monitoring system with the participation of Community Based Organizations (CBO) and Web enabled monitoring system are the other remarkable features of the project.