DA is undoubtedly one of the leaders in sustainable habitat initiatives in the country. Based in New Delhi, with field offices in Jhansi and Bangalore, they have several branches working on aspects of environment, information dissemination, technology etc.

Development Alternatives believes that ‘development’, being a dynamic process, is all about evolving inter-relationships between social and environmental factors, particularly interactions between nature, machines, institutions and people.
The activities of Development Alternatives Group broadly cover the three primary areas that underlie any form of sustainable development process: the design and large-scale dissemination of appropriate technologies, environmental management systems and effective people-oriented institutions and policies.

Development Alternatives and its associate organisations operate on the philosophy that sustainable development benefits not only the economy, but also the environment and above all - the people. The Development Alternatives Group is, therefore, dedicated to bring about a better balance among the basic prerequisites of sustainable development: social equity, environmental quality and economic efficiency.

Development Alternatives believes that the key to achieve this is the creation of sustainable livelihoods in large numbers and that the basis of a better future, and the prime need of our people, is jobs and creation of self-employment opportunities. Jobs that provide a decent income and give meaning and dignity to life, produce goods and services for the local market, do not destroy the environment or the resource base, but bring the poor and downtrodden, the women and the marginalised, into the mainstream.

Development Alternative is currently working in Karaikal, Pondicherry, where they are implementing their post-Tsunami reconstruction project. DA is reconstructing 1200 houses in Karaikkal region at three different places (Kottucherri-500, Karaikkalmedu-525 and Kelingalmedu-149).