Question:	What is the objective and outline of the project ?
Answer:	The Madhya Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Project - MPRLP - aided by the Department for International Development, Government of United Kingdom is committed to addressing the rural poverty by promoting sustainable livelihoods. The MPRLP seeks to encourage and empower the poverty-struck rural families to lead a decisive fight against miseries specially in remote tribal pockets. The Project believes in the wisdom of the rural people and their innate strength to break the cycle of poverty. It strives to mobilize local communities to actively participate in the planning of improving their livelihood profile and thus learn how to device sustainable poverty alleviation mechanisms. As a facilitator, the Project inspires the rural people to draw strengths from their own wisdom and experiences.
Question:	What are the areas covered under the Project?
Answer:	The Project works in far-off villages specially in tribal regions. Dhar, Jhabua, Barwani, Anuppur, Shahdol, Mandla, Dindori and Sheopur districts are predominantly tribal districts. Female literacy in these districts is the lowest as compared to other districts. The second phase starting from 01 July 2007 covers nearly 4000 villages including 822 villages covered in the first phase.
Question:	How the Project works?
Answer:	The Project works through Gram Sabha or the village assembly. Each village has a Gram Sabha and each Gram Sabha has its Village Fund. The Project money goes direct to the Village Fund, which is operated, managed and utilized by the Gram Sabha or village assembly. The Project facilitates Gram Sabhas to ensure the money well-spent for creating sustainable livelihoods. Empowered Gram Sabhas can effectively address livelihoods issues.
Question:	Why the institution of Gram Sabha ?
Answer:	Gram Sabha is the cornerstone of democracy at the grassroots level. When village people above 18 years of age assemble at one place to debate an issue or share their concern about issues they form a Gram Sabha. It is village people's Parliament having constitutional status. The Gram Sabha is a permanent body. Once it becomes alive to livelihoods issues and develops understanding about planning of resources, participatory methods to address vital issues, designs strategies with futuristic vision and builds up a system of participatory governance it would greatly contribute to rural transformation. A vibrant Gram Sabha is a step towards direct democracy. Capacity building of Gram Sabhas therefore is the top priority of the Project.
Question:	How the project is managed ?
Answer:	The Project reaches out to rural people in remote areas through Project Facilitation Teams. Manned by multi-disciplinary skilled staff, each PFT looks after commonly agreed number villages. These villages are grouped into a cluster. PFTs function under the guidance of District Project Support Units, which report to State Project Management Unit at the headquarters. State Livelihoods Forum brings together experiences, thoughts and learnings about livelihoods programmes. The SPMU is headed by Project Coordinator. Livelihood Promoters, who are chosen from among the villagers motivate the target families to harness livelihoods opportunities. Technical support comes from Technical Cooperation-Project Support Unit - TC-PSU.
Question:	What is the project period ?
Answer:	The second phase of the Project is operative from July 01, 2007 and will end in 2012. The First phase, which was launched from June 2004 and ended on June 2007. During the first phase Rs. 114.9 crore or £16.49 million have been spent on promotion multiple livelihoods activities. In the second phase Rs. 357 crore or £45 million would be spent in five years.
Question:	What are the salient features of the Project ?
Answer:	The MPRLP has some significant features that accord uniqueness to the project for instance convergence with ongoing schemes, direct fund flow to Village Fund, flexibility, micro planning, well-being ranking, strengthening of Gram Sabha, livelihood promoters, Innovation Fund and transparency. These values are more elaborately visible in villages where enterprise and popular wisdom go-together.
Question:	What are the focused areas?
Answer:	The focused areas include - watershed development, agriculture productivity enhancement, Pro-poor community based forest management, micro-enterprises, livestock, fisheries and poultry, support to migrant labour, empowerment of Gram Sabha, social protection, access to information, empowerment of women and legal literacy.
Question:	What are the strategies and approaches adopted by MPRLP ?
Answer:	The Project has adopted multi-pronged approaches so as to address livelihoods issues dynamically keeping in mind sustainability of livelihoods initiatives. It is working through Gram Sabha. It supports existing resource base and encourages convergence with ongoing government schemes of similar design and objectives. Besides, land and water management through watersheds development, Non-Timber Forest Produce based entreprise development, micro finance, harnessing the potential in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, coverage to vulnerable families, social protection of the poorest and creating sustainable means of livelihoods are the key approaches.