Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 2,

Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) has selected six districts to launch its leadership programme for poverty reduction with active participation of the poor, marginalised and excluded groups.

According to a press release issued here today, those selected districts for the pilot project are Siraha, Ramechhap, Kapilvastu, Pyuthan, Mugu and Darchula. These districts are selected as per the district-wise composite index of the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and cover all five development regions and geo-political conditions as well as poorest districts.

The fund will run various pro-poor programmes for the targeted groups especially women, dalits and people from indigenous nationalities to uplift their social and economic status. The programmes will be based on the objectives identified in Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) through social mobilisation.

"Such programmes are aimed at enhancing access of the targeted groups to basic services and empowering them to involve in decision making at a local level," states the strategy paper of the programme.