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In 1990s, decades after the initiation of the process of stabilisation´ and growth´ the policy makers focussed their attention in addressing the problem of global poverty. Most of the anti-poverty development agencies like World Bank, suggested integration of gender in their development programmes to move poor out of poverty and are targeted to poor and women. But the reality shows the intergration of gender in anti-poverty program have not relieved the women from the household poverty and instead they led to women´s impoverishment and extra burden The mounting responsibilities and obligations women take in order to contribute household economy and fulfil the survival needs of the family.The present book investigates the effects of Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojagar Yojana (SGSY), a national level anti-poverty program of government of India with regard to poverty eradication and women´s empowerment. Though SGSY scheme focuses only on poverty reduction and does not have explicit gender equality objectives, however more number of women members and women Self-help groups are encouraged to be linked with this program than men.

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Jogamaya Bai,MA in Development Studies. Studied Women,Gender, Development (Major) and Poverty Studies (Minor) at International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague, The Netherlands. Project Manager at AFFORD, New Delhi in Kalahandi Project of Orissa, India, supported by Misereor of Germany. Achieved Ford Foundation International Fellowship.

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