Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, is in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. However, the poor have historically not benefited from the economic opportunities that tourism brings to the city. They live in communities near the Taj Mahal that lack basic services. These environmentally degraded neighborhoods providing tourists a negative backdrop for one of the seven wonders of the world.

The Crosscutting Program (CAP) is aimed at engaging youth and women from disadvantaged communities to address issues of livelihoods, sanitation and environment improvement in selected low-income settlements in the city. The project works to increase livelihoods and provide infrastructure upgrades around a Heritage Trail of lesser-known monuments in Agra. The Heritage trail links a historical village to various Mughal heritage sites and promotes community based tourism. The project serves as a demonstration pilot to help bring together a wide range of stakeholders in the city – including the Agra Municipal Corporation -- for consultation and planning.

CAP has empowered communities by organizing community groups with the capacity to address their livelihood needs. At the community level there are now more organized groups addressing a diverse set of needs and participating in project implementation. Women in particular have been empowered through their involvement in livelihood groups. They learn to operate bank accounts, receive and deposit check payments, manage finances and deal with clients and are now more financially secure and better able to advocate for their rights within their family.

Through the project task forces have been set up in the city supporting slum upgrading, housing and access to basic services for the urban poor, water supply, sanitation and sewerage, heritage and tourism, financial arrangements and governance systems and education, health and livelihood development. Two research studies -- city wide slum mapping and livelihood analysis -- help provide information for these task forces and future development. The project is also providing the Agra Municipal Corporation support in pursuing funds under the Government of India’s Jawal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission.