The goal of the programme is to enable thousands of tsunami victims living in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu to return to a stable and productive way of life. Targets include people who live in coastal areas, including fishers, wage workers in the fisheries sector, farmers and agricultural labourers. There is a specific focus on marginalized groups such as women who are heads of households and members of scheduled castes.

The programme’s aim is to improve the livelihoods of people affected by the disaster. It promotes community participation and planning. The programme includes support for sustainable resource management in coastal areas, access both to rural financial services and to a social safety net in the form of insurance, and community-based sea-safety and disaster management. It also provides for employment generation and skills training, and assistance in programme management. One of the programme activities has the aim of  empowering women to improve their incomes from marketing fish.