Government Schemes [India & States] Current Affairs MCQs

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The Gujarat government launched the Shramik Basera Scheme 2024 to provide temporary housing for financially unstable laborers. The scheme will establish 17 housing structures in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vadodara, and Rajkot. Laborers can stay for INR 5 per day. Aimed at improving the living standards of construction workers, the scheme will accommodate 15,000 workers and has a budget of INR 1500 crores.

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The National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM), overseen by the Ministry of Culture, aims to catalog the cultural heritage of 6.5 lakh villages across India. This initiative includes creating a comprehensive database of artists, art forms, and resources on an IT-enabled platform. Objectives include raising cultural heritage awareness, mapping villages’ cultural profiles, creating national artist registers, and developing a web portal and mobile app for cultural engagement.

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The Finance Minister announced a revision to the model Skill Loan Scheme, now facilitating loans up to Rs 7.5 lakh, backed by a government-promoted fund guarantee. Introduced in July 2015, the scheme offers institutional credit for skill development courses aligned with National Occupations Standards and Qualification Packs, conducted by NSQF-compliant training institutes. It applies to all Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) member banks and RBI-advised financial institutions. Any Indian National admitted to ITIs, Polytechnics, recognized schools, affiliated colleges, or NSDC training partners is eligible, with no age restrictions. The courses lead to certifications, diplomas, or degrees.

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The Jiyo Parsi Scheme, launched in 2013-14 by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, aims to reverse the declining Parsi population in India. It includes three components: Medical Assistance, Health of Community, and Advocacy. The scheme provides financial help to Parsi couples for medical treatments, child care, and elderly support. Additionally, outreach programs are conducted to raise awareness among the Parsi community. The recent launch of the Jiyo Parsi Scheme portal marks a new step in implementing these structured interventions to stabilize the Parsi population in India.

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The Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers discussed the PM-PRANAM initiative in the Lok Sabha recently. The Cabinet approved the PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment, and Amelioration of Mother-Earth (PM-PRANAM) on June 28, 2023. The scheme aims to reduce chemical fertilizer use by incentivizing states. States that cut chemical fertilizer use will receive a subsidy based on the savings. The goal is to promote balanced fertilizer use, including bio and organic fertilizers. States/UTs will get 50% of the saved subsidy as a grant, which can be used for benefiting farmers and other state needs.

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The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. This scheme will provide ₹1500 monthly to over one crore women in Maharashtra. It is modeled after Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’ but will be a permanent initiative. The scheme aims to protect and support women’s interests in the state, symbolically tied to the Raksha Bandhan festival.

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Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Bal Paushtik Aahar Yojana’ to provide nutritious food to government schoolchildren. The scheme offers boiled eggs or fruits once a week to students from nursery to class eight. Fresh fruits will be locally sourced based on children’s preferences. It complements the existing mid-day meal scheme, covering 15,181 schools and 5,34,293 students. The state allocated Rs.12.75 crore for the scheme in 2024-25. The CM also launched a scheme to provide free tablets to primary school teachers to enhance digitalization in education.

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Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren launched the Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana (JMMSY). Eligible women aged 21-50 from below poverty line families will receive Rs 1,000 monthly, totaling Rs 12,000 annually via Direct Benefit Transfer.
The state government has also decided to waive agriculture loans up to Rs 2 lakhs. Girls in government schools benefit from the Savitribai Phule Samridhi Yojana, and model schools are strengthening the education system. Loans at subsidized rates are provided under the Mukhyamantri Rojgar Srijan Yojana.

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The Union Cabinet approved the ‘Vigyan Dhara’ scheme, unifying three Department of Science and Technology schemes. Vigyan Dhara is a central sector scheme aimed at boosting science and technology in India. It combines three key areas: S&T Institutional and Human Capacity Building, Research and Development, and Innovation and Technology Development. Managed by the Department of Science and Technology, it streamlines S&T initiatives to enhance India’s capabilities. The scheme has a budget of Rs.10,579.84 crore for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26. It aims to improve fund utilization and align sub-schemes. The goal is to strengthen India’s S&T and innovation ecosystem.

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The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet approved the “Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana” to support vulnerable women and parents of disabled children. The scheme aims to aid in the education and well-being of these children. Rs 53.21 crore has been allocated for the scheme for the financial year 2024-25. Eligible beneficiaries include children of widows, destitute women, divorced women, and parents of disabled children with an income under Rs 1 lakh per year. Eligible parents of children under 18 will receive Rs 1,000 per month for educational, nutritional, and health expenses. Support is provided for higher education and vocational courses.