THE DISTRICT RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (DRDA) HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE PRINCIPAL ORGAN AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL TO OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIFFERENT ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAMMES. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE DRDAS WERE MET BY WAY OF SETTING APART A SHARE OF THE ALLOCATIONS FOR EACH PROGRAMME. 

DISTRICT RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY IS VISUALIZED AS A SPECIALIZED AND A PROFESSIONAL AGENCY CAPABLE OF MANAGING THE POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMMES OF THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE ONE HAND AND TO EFFECTIVELY RELATE THESE TO THE OVERALL EFFORT OF POVERTY ERADICATION IN THE DISTRICT. IN OTHER WORDS, WHILE THE DRDA WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER AND ENSURE EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF THE FUNDS INTENDED FOR POVERTY PROGRAMMES, IT WILL NEED TO DEVELOP A FAR GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESSES NECESSARY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION/ERADICATION. IT WILL ALSO NEED TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITY TO BUILD SYNERGIES AMONG DIFFERENT AGENCIES INVOLVED FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESULTS. IT WILL THEREFORE NEED TO DEVELOP DISTINCTIVE CAPABILITIES RATHER THAN PERFORM TASKS THAT ARE LEGITIMATELY IN THE DOMAIN OF THE PRIS OR THE LINE DEPARTMENTS. THE ROLE OF THE DRDA WILL THEREFORE BE DISTINCT FROM ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE ZILA PARISHAD.