This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of academic literature on the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), with a focus on capacity development and economic empowerment of beneficiaries. Launched in 2011 by the Ministry of Rural Development, NRLM aims to reduce rural poverty through institutional support, financial inclusion, and the empowerment of women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Despite growing research in this area, systematic mapping of the knowledge landscape remains limited. To address this, the study analyzes 45 publications (2011–2025) sourced from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using tools like VOSviewer and Biblioshiny. It examines publication trends, citation behavior, keyword co-occurrence, and collaboration networks. Findings reveal a 16.01% annual growth rate, with India as the predominant contributor. Core themes include women’s empowerment, financial inclusion, sustainable livelihoods, and capacity building. While international and interdisciplinary collaborations are emerging, Indian scholars remain central. Key research gaps include the lack of longitudinal studies, limited regional impact assessments, and insufficient focus on digital and climate-resilient livelihoods. The review provides insights to guide future academic inquiry and inform evidence-based policymaking.
Behura et al. (2025) studied this question.