By PTI

New Delhi: The United Nations will pump in around $40 million for a poverty alleviation project focusing on income generating activities in livestock, handicraft and tourism sectors in western Rajasthan.

The UN International Fund for Agricultural Development will help finance the “Mitigating Poverty in Western Rajasthan Project” in six districts of Jokhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Pali, Sirohi and Jalor.

The project will focus on boosting income-generating activities in livestock, handicraft, tourism sectors for landless labourers, small and marginal farmers, owners of marginal land, traditional artisans, women and young people.

“This project has been designed in convergence with existing government-funded schemes so as to maximize the effectiveness of public expenditure and ensure sustainability beyond project completion,” Mattia Prayer Galletti, IFAD’s country programme manager for India, said today.

A loan of $30.3 million and grant of $6 lakh will be given to help finance the project.