Government Schemes [India & States] Current Affairs MCQs

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The Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries launched the second round of the PLI Scheme for Specialty Steel, called PLI Scheme 1.1. It will run from FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30. It covers five product categories: coated/plated steel, high-strength steel, specialty rails, alloy steel products, and electrical steel. These products serve sectors like white goods, transformers, automobiles, and niche industries. Changes include reduced investment thresholds, allowance for carrying forward excess production, and participation through capacity augmentation without new mills. The scheme aims to boost domestic specialty steel production, reduce imports, and attract investments, originally expanded to steel in November 2020.

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Madhya Pradesh launched the PARTH Yojana (Police Army Recruitment Training & Hunar) to train youth for careers in the Army, police, and paramilitary forces. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav unveiled the scheme at the State-Level Youth Festival. The initiative fosters patriotism, skill development, and employability among energetic youth. Training includes physical fitness, written exam coaching (general knowledge, math, English), and personality development. Divisional-level training centers will be set up, managed by district sports and youth welfare officers. Rural youth coordinators and departmental employees will support the program. The scheme aims to channel youth enthusiasm into meaningful employment opportunities.

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Rajasthan received an additional 5,000 MW allocation under the PM-KUSUM (Component A) scheme. The scheme targets commissioning projects by December 31, 2025, before sunsetting in March 2026. The scheme was launched in 2019. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme aims to reduce diesel usage in farming and boost farmers’ income. It supports India’s goal of achieving 40% installed power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy oversees implementation, requiring progress updates via the PM-KUSUM portal.

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The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme. Launched on January 22, 2015, in Panipat, Haryana, it aims to empower the girl child and promote gender equality. The scheme involves the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Education. Its objectives include improving the Child Sex Ratio (CSR), ensuring gender equality, preventing sex-selective elimination, and promoting girls’ education and participation.

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The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare held a workshop on the National Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2025, on January 23, 2025, chaired by the Secretary (Pension). The workshop included Anubhav Nodal Officers from Ministries, Departments, 12 Public Sector Banks, and Central Public Sector Enterprises. The ANUBHAV Awards Scheme, initiated in 2016 by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare for retiring Central Government employees, acknowledges their experiences.

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IIM Sambalpur will research the impact of Subhadra Yojana in Odisha. An MoU was signed with the Women and Child Development (W&CD) Department at Utkarsh Odisha: Make in Odisha Conclave-2025. The institute will conduct real-time assessments, provide policy recommendations, and develop monitoring frameworks. The scheme provides ₹10,000 annually to eligible women for five years (₹50,000 total). It aims to foster women’s entrepreneurship and support child development. The scheme is expected to benefit over 1 crore women in Odisha.

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The Gyan Bharatam Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 to preserve and protect manuscripts across India. The mission aims to survey, document, and conserve more than one crore manuscripts in academic institutions, museums, and libraries. Its significance includes preserving historical value, unveiling ancient Indian knowledge, ensuring longevity, and providing 24/7 access to manuscripts. The budget allocation for the National Manuscripts Mission (NMM) has been increased from Rs. 3.5 crore to Rs. 60 crore to support the new mission.

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The Guru-Shishya Parampara Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Culture to promote traditional performing arts. It offers financial assistance to cultural organizations for training artists under the guidance of a Guru. Cultural organizations across India that follow the Guru-Shishya tradition can apply. The scheme supports shishyas aged 3 and above in music, dance, theatre, and traditional arts. It provides Rs. 15,000 per month for each Guru/Director, with up to 18 shishyas in theatre and 10 in music/dance. The objective is to ensure regular training in the traditional Guru-Shishya system.

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The restructured National Bamboo Mission was launched in 2018-19 as a centrally sponsored scheme. It supports both government and private sectors for bamboo cultivation on non-forest land, market establishment, product development, and tool creation. The funding pattern is 60:40 (Centre-State), except for NE & Hilly states (90:10) and Union Territories (100%). Key goals include increasing quality planting materials, expanding bamboo cultivation, improving post-harvest management, and reducing reliance on bamboo imports. The mission is implemented through state nodal departments nominated by respective state/UT governments.

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The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment chaired a meeting on the PM-AJAY scheme. Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) is a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme. It aims to reduce poverty among Scheduled Caste (SC) communities through employment generation and socio-economic development. It focuses on income generation, skill development, and infrastructure improvement. The goal is to uplift SC communities above the poverty line and improve their overall living standards.