National Urban Livelihoods Mission

- In order to address the urban poverty alleviation in a mission mode approach, the Ministry has launched NULM in the 12th Plan period which replaces the existing SJSRY.
- The NULM would focus on organizing urban poor in self help groups, creating opportunities for skill development leading to market - based employment and helping them to setup selfemployment ventures by ensuring easy access to credit.
- The Mission would aim at providing shelter equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. In addition, the Mission would also address livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors.
- The NULM is actually an improved version of the earlier poverty alleviation programme for the urban poor titled Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) which was found to be wanting for a variety of reasons.
- It has also expanded the beneficiaries of urban poor to include the homeless and street vendors who are invariably ignored in government pro grarnrnes.
- A special provision has been made for the funding of all-weather 24/7 shelters with all essential facilities for the urban homeless.
- In addition, up to five per cent of the NULM budget has been earmarked to provide support to urban street vendors which will include skill up gradation and development of vendor markets.
- Under the improved programme urban poor, especially women, will be organized into self-help groups (SHGs), while infrastructure and trained manpower will be provided to upgrade their skills in keeping with the requirements of the market.
- In addition, beneficiaries will be helped to secure loans if anybody wants to set up his or her own enterprise.