The Last-Mile Architects of Rural Transformation

This PIB backgrounder highlights the critical role of India's grassroots community workers and cadres in driving rural transformation and decentralized service delivery. Across the country, over 9 lakh Community Resource Persons (CRPs)—including livelihood CRPs like Krishi Sakhis, Pashu Sakhis, Matsya Sakhis, Van Sakhis, and financial cadres like Bank Sakhis and Business Correspondent Sakhis—alongside 10.40 lakh ASHAs, 10.58 lakh Anganwadi Workers, Swachhagrahis, and Awaas Mitras, form the backbone of last-mile implementation. These cadres facilitate community mobilization, behavior change, financial inclusion, and the convergence of government schemes across agriculture, health, sanitation, housing, and rural livelihoods, notably under DAY-NRLM, SBM-G, and Jal Jeevan Mission.