Regional Variations in Impact of Anti-Poverty Programmes-A Review of Evidence

K Subbarao Under the government's anti-poverty programmes self-employment for the rural poor is sought to be generated by two routes: provision of income-generating non-land assets under the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), and equipping the unemployed rural youth of poor households with skills, training and technology in specific trades under the TRYSEM programme. This paper critically examines three recent studies of these pro- grammes in a comparative perspective with particular focus on regional differences and draws some inferences for policy Part I of the paper deals with IRDP and Part II with the TRYSEM programme.