The Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), a centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of the Rural Development, is the largest credit based poverty alleviation programme in the world. Poverty in India is widespread with the nation estimated to have a third of the world's poor. The Union Ministry of Rural Development launched a restructured poverty alleviation programme, SGSY with effect from 1st April, 1999, which has replaced Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) and its allied schemes viz., Training of Rural Youth for Self Employment (TRYSEM), Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Supply of Improved Tool kits to Rural Artisans (SITRA), Ganga kalyan Yojana (GKY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS). This book will cater to the needs of students and policy makers in the field of agricultural and social science for the teaching, research and extension. Students, teachers, research scholars shall find the book useful not only to learn the theoretical aspects, but also to conduct practical courses and research work in rural development.