Synopsis Poverty is gender-specific because women suffer from systematic social injustice due to their gender. They are exploited and oppressed not only as human being but also as women. The economic independence has been identified as a precondition for attaining women’s freedom. Thus, DWCRA – a sub-scheme of IRDP has been introduced with a broader objective of raising the economic status of women with the hope of improving their social status too. Therefore, the study is undertaken with the main objective of assessing the impact of DWCRA on the work, income and status of rural women. The economic success of the programme in terms of generating work and income is necessary but not sufficient condition to achieve an improvement in the status of women. Their position within the family as well as in the society is also equally influenced by socio-cultural conditions determined by patriarchy. Therefore, the present study specifically examined women’s status within the family and their participation in social and political decision-making process, which is considered to be the prime ingredient of women’s empowerment. Thus, the study is useful for the academicians, policy makers and activists who are involved in making rural women economically independent, socially conscious and politically active.