Community Cadres Powering Last-Mile Rural Service Delivery

 

 

1. More than 9 lakh Community Resource Persons (CRPs) are active across rural India in areas such as livelihoods, banking, insurance, financial literacy, gender awareness and community development.

2. Nearly 4.08 lakh CRPs are engaged in livelihood-related activities covering agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forest produce and enterprise development.

3. More than 10.40 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) were serving as frontline health workers as of 31 December 2025.

4. By March 2026, more than 10.58 lakh Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) had been trained under initiatives aimed at strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).

5. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has mobilized more than 10 crore rural households into around 92 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

6. As of June 2025, more than 4.62 crore Mahila Kisans had been covered under farm livelihood interventions supported by more than 3 lakh trained livelihood CRPs.

7. More than 1.91 lakh Krishi Sakhis have been mobilized to support sustainable agriculture, agricultural extension and marketing of farm products.

8. Around 1.70 lakh Pashu Sakhis support livestock-rearing households in areas such as animal health, productivity improvement and reduction of input costs.

9. More than 2,012 Matsya Sakhis support fisheries-based livelihoods and help improve market access.

10. Around 2,993 Van Sakhis provide field-level support for collection, cultivation and value addition of non-timber forest products.

11. As of June 2026, 4.32 lakh enterprises had been supported under the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP).

12. More than 1.48 lakh Business Correspondent (BC) Sakhis provide doorstep digital financial services such as account opening, deposits, withdrawals, fund transfers and balance enquiries.

13. Bank Sakhis have helped Self-Help Groups access ₹13.41 lakh crore in bank credit since 2013–14.

14. More than 5.33 lakh Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs)/Pani Samitis are operational under the Jal Jeevan Mission, with at least 50% representation of women in these committees.

15. Under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), the target is to construct 4.95 crore rural houses by March 2029, with Awaas Mitras and other village-level functionaries supporting beneficiaries during implementation.

 

 

 

Must Know Terms :

 

 

1.Community Resource Persons (CRPs)

• Trained grassroots workers who support last-mile delivery of government programmes.
• More than 9 lakh CRPs are active across rural India.
• They work in livelihoods, banking, insurance, gender awareness and community development.

 

2. DAY-NRLM

• Full form: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission.
• It promotes community-led rural livelihoods and women-led institutions.
• More than 10 crore rural households have been mobilized into around 92 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

 

3. Krishi Sakhi

• Community-based agricultural livelihood worker.
• Supports farmers in sustainable agriculture, improved practices and marketing.
• More than 1.91 lakh Krishi Sakhis have been mobilized.

 

4. Business Correspondent (BC) Sakhi

• Women community cadres providing doorstep digital financial services.
• Services include deposits, withdrawals, fund transfers, account opening and balance enquiries.
• More than 1.48 lakh BC Sakhis are working at the grassroots.

 

5. ASHA

• Full form: Accredited Social Health Activist.
• Acts as a link between rural communities and the healthcare system.
• More than 10.40 lakh ASHAs were serving as of 31 December 2025.

 

6. Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC)

• Also known as Pani Samiti under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Responsible for village-level planning, operation and maintenance of water supply systems.
• More than 5.33 lakh VWSCs/Pani Samitis are operational, with at least 50% representation of women.

 

MCQ :

1. With reference to Community Resource Persons (CRPs) in rural India, consider the following statements:

1. More than 9 lakh CRPs are active across rural India.
2. They work in areas such as livelihoods, banking, insurance and community development.
3. All CRPs are exclusively engaged in agricultural activities.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

2. With reference to livelihood-related Community Resource Persons, consider the following statements:

1. Nearly 4.08 lakh CRPs are engaged in livelihood-related activities.
2. Their work covers agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forest produce and enterprise development.
3. They operate only in the non-farm sector.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

3. Consider the following statements regarding frontline health and nutrition workers:

1. More than 10.40 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) were serving as of 31 December 2025.
2. More than 10.58 lakh Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) had been trained by March 2026.
3. Anganwadi Workers are associated with strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 and 3 only

4. With reference to Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), consider the following statements:

1. It promotes community-led rural livelihoods.
2. It supports women-led community institutions.
3. More than 10 crore rural households have been mobilized into around 92 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

5. As of June 2025, more than 4.62 crore Mahila Kisans had been covered under farm livelihood interventions supported by:

(a) More than 3 lakh trained livelihood CRPs

(b) More than 1 lakh Bank Sakhis

(c) More than 5 lakh Anganwadi Workers

(d) More than 10 lakh ASHAs

6. With reference to Krishi Sakhis, consider the following statements:

1. They support sustainable agriculture.
2. They assist in agricultural extension and marketing of farm products.
3. More than 1.91 lakh Krishi Sakhis have been mobilized.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 2 only

7. Consider the following pairs:

Community Cadre — Primary Area of Support

1. Pashu Sakhi — Livestock
2. Matsya Sakhi — Fisheries
3. Van Sakhi — Non-timber forest products

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 and 3 only

8. Which one of the following correctly matches the community cadre with the approximate number mobilized?

(a) Pashu Sakhis — 2,012

(b) Van Sakhis — 1.70 lakh

(c) Matsya Sakhis — 2,993

(d) Pashu Sakhis — 1.70 lakh

9. With reference to the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), which one of the following statements is correct?

(a) As of June 2026, 4.32 lakh enterprises had been supported under the programme.

(b) It had supported 4.32 crore enterprises by June 2025.

(c) It is exclusively a livestock development programme.

(d) It operates only through Anganwadi Workers.

10. Business Correspondent (BC) Sakhis are associated with which of the following services?

1. Account opening
2. Deposits and withdrawals
3. Fund transfers
4. Balance enquiries

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1 and 4 only

11. Consider the following statements regarding Bank Sakhis:

1. They support financial inclusion at the grassroots.
2. They have helped Self-Help Groups access ₹13.41 lakh crore in bank credit since 2013–14.
3. They are primarily responsible for operating village water supply systems.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

12. With reference to Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs)/Pani Samitis, consider the following statements:

1. More than 5.33 lakh such committees are operational.
2. They function under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
3. They provide for at least 50% representation of women.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 2 and 3 only

13. Which of the following statements regarding Awaas Mitras is/are correct?

1. They are associated with Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
2. They support beneficiaries during implementation of rural housing.
3. PMAY-G aims to construct 4.95 crore rural houses by March 2029.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

14. Consider the following pairs:

Term — Description

1. ASHA — Accredited Social Health Activist
2. VWSC — Village Water and Sanitation Committee
3. DAY-NRLM — Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

15. Consider the following statements regarding community cadres in rural India:

1. Community Resource Persons act as grassroots workers supporting last-mile service delivery.
2. BC Sakhis provide doorstep digital financial services.
3. Krishi Sakhis support agricultural livelihoods.
4. VWSCs/Pani Samitis are linked with village-level water management.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(c) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1 and 4 only