Decentralized Planning: Empowered Gram Panchayats to plan, execute, and manage projects, fostering local participation and ownership.
Poverty Alleviation: Focused on providing employment opportunities and improving economic conditions for the rural poor.
Asset Creation: Emphasized the development of durable assets like roads, schools, community halls, sanitation facilities, and drinking water sources.
Demand-Driven Approach: Projects were to be selected based on the felt needs of the community, ensuring relevance and utility.
Social Audit: Included provisions for social audit to ensure transparency and accountability in project implementation.