All Important Government Schemes 2024-25 (Part-4)

SHREYAS Scheme (Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills)

Announcement: 2019

Administering Ministry: Ministry of Education

Objective:

• Facilitate skill development for students of non-technical degree courses through apprenticeships and skill-based training.

Challenges:

• Student Participation: Encouraging students of non-technical courses to pursue skill-based training may be challenging due to lack of awareness.
• Collaboration with Industry: Establishing collaborations with industries to provide adequate apprenticeship opportunities is a challenge.

Conclusion:

SHREYAS aims to bridge the skill gap by integrating apprenticeships with higher education. Building strong industry partnerships and promoting awareness among students are vital for its success.

Kisan Credit Card (KCC)

Launch Date: August 1998

Administering Authorities:

• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Background:

• Launched based on the recommendations of the R. V. Gupta Committee.

Aim:

1. Provide loans for agricultural needs at low interest rates to farmers.
2. Promote institutional loans and reduce dependence on informal money lenders.

Loan Provisions:

• Loan Limit: Up to Rs. 3 lakh.
• Interest Rate: 7%, with a 3% interest subvention for timely repayment.

New Provisions:

• Expanded Scope: Loans are now also provided to farmers engaged in animal husbandry and fisheries in addition to agriculture.

Validity:

• The validity period of the Kisan Credit Card is up to 5 years.

The Kisan Credit Card aims to provide easy access to credit for farmers to meet their agricultural and allied needs at affordable interest rates, promoting financial inclusion and reducing dependency on informal sources.

Interest Subsidy Scheme

Objective:

• Provide short-term loans to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holder farmers at subsidized interest rates.

Eligibility:

• Agricultural farmers as well as those engaged in allied fields like animal husbandry, dairy, poultry, and fisheries.

Provisions:

• Loan Limit: Up to Rs. 3 lakh.
• Interest Rate: 7% for up to 3 years.
• Rebate: Additional 3% rebate is provided to farmers who repay their loans on time.

PM Matru Vandana Yojana

Launch Date: January 1, 2017

Administering Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development

Tagline:

• Matru Shakti – Rashtra Shakti (Mother’s Strength is the Nation’s Strength)

Objectives:

1. Compensation for Loss of Wages: Provide financial support to pregnant women in the unorganized sector.
2. Nutritional Support: Ensure adequate nutrition for expecting mothers.

Provisions:

1. After the live birth of the first child, a total of Rs. 5,000 is provided in three installments:
   1. Rs. 1,000 for pregnancy registration.
   1. Rs. 2,000 after six months of pregnancy.
   1. Rs. 2,000 upon birth registration.
2. If enrolled under the Janani Suraksha Yojana, the total benefit amounts to Rs. 6,000.

Challenges:

• Awareness and Access: Many eligible beneficiaries, especially in rural areas, are unaware of the scheme or face challenges accessing its benefits.
• Coverage Limitations: The scheme is only applicable to the first child, which may exclude a significant portion of the population in need.

Conclusion:

The PM Matru Vandana Yojana is a critical scheme to support pregnant women in the unorganized sector by providing financial aid and promoting nutrition. Enhancing awareness and improving accessibility are key to ensuring wider benefits of the scheme.

Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban)

Announcement: Budget 2021-22

Administering Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Budget:

• Rs. 2.87 lakh crore (including Rs. 10,000 crore to the AMRUT Mission)

Objectives:

1. Provide Functional Tap Water: Ensure water supply through functional taps in all urban bodies.
2. Sewerage Management: Implement sewerage management in 500 AMRUT cities.

Funding Pattern:

• Union Territories: 100% by the Central Government.
• Hill States: 90% by the Centre.
• Urban Population < 1 lakh: 50% by the Centre.
• Urban Population 1-10 lakh: 33% by the Centre.
• Urban Population > 10 lakh: 25% (PPP model is required).

Challenges:

• Urban Infrastructure: Establishing tap water infrastructure in densely populated urban areas can be challenging.
• Funding Allocation: Finding adequate funding for maintenance and continued support in urban areas with large populations.

Conclusion:

Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) aims to provide accessible and safe drinking water to every urban household. Strengthening urban infrastructure and ensuring sustainable funding are crucial for its long-term success.

PM-DevINE Scheme (Development Initiative for North-East Region)

Launch Date: October 12, 2022

Administering Ministry:

• Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER)

Budget: Rs. 6,600 crore for 4 years

Objective:

• Infrastructure Development: Develop infrastructure in the North-Eastern Region, aligned with the goals of PM Gati Shakti.

Challenges:

• Geographical Barriers: The difficult terrain of the North-Eastern Region poses a significant challenge for infrastructure development.
• Coordination with States: Effective coordination between the central and state governments is needed for successful project execution.

Conclusion:

The PM-DevINE Scheme aims to boost infrastructure development in the North-Eastern Region, overcoming regional disparities. Resolving geographical challenges and ensuring effective coordination will be vital for its success.

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)

Launch Year: 2011

Administering Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development

Objective:

• Poverty Alleviation through improved access to financial services and promoting self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities for rural poor households.

Key Components:

1. Women Empowerment: Engage one woman from each rural poor household.
2. Financial Inclusion: Promote financial inclusion of rural poor.
3. Sustainable Livelihood: Enable the creation of sustainable livelihoods.
4. SHG Creation: Establish Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Budget:

• Applicable in all states and union territories (except Delhi and Chandigarh).
• Implemented across 745 districts and 7,132 blocks.
• 91 lakh SHGs have been formed, mobilizing 9.9 crore women.

Sub-Schemes under DAY-NRLM:

• Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana: Provides placement-related skills to rural youth aged 15-35 years.
• Aajeevika Gramin Express Yojana: Provides affordable rural transport through vehicles operated by SHG members.
• Start-Up Entrepreneurship Programme: Encourages rural entrepreneurs to set up local enterprises.
• Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI): Provides district-level training to individuals aged 18-45 years.

Challenges:

• Financial Literacy: Lack of financial literacy among rural women limits their access to credit and financial services.
• Market Access: Ensuring market access for SHG products is challenging due to insufficient infrastructure.

Conclusion:

DAY-NRLM is a comprehensive initiative to alleviate poverty by promoting livelihoods through financial inclusion and SHGs. Addressing financial literacy and providing better market access for SHG products are crucial for maximizing its impact.

Shyama Prasad Rurban Mission

Launch Date: September 16, 2015

Administering Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development

Objective:

• Reduce the Rural-Urban Divide in terms of economic, technical, and service facilities.

Key Features:

1. Cluster-Based Development: Develop 300 rural clusters through infrastructure development.
2. Rurban Groups Identification: Identify groups of villages based on population:
   1. Plain/Coastal Areas: 25,000 – 50,000 population.
   1. Desert Areas: 5,000 – 10,000 population.
3. Investment Attraction: Attract investment through cluster development.
4. Employment Generation: Increase employment opportunities in rural areas to aid poverty alleviation.

Challenges:

• Coordination between Clusters: Effective coordination among villages within clusters is crucial and challenging.
• Funding Gaps: Ensuring adequate funding for cluster-based infrastructure development remains a hurdle.

Conclusion:

The Shyama Prasad Rurban Mission aims to bridge the rural-urban divide by improving infrastructure and boosting employment opportunities in rural areas. Effective coordination and sufficient funding are essential for the success of this mission.

Operation Greens

Launch Year: 2018

Administering Department: Department of Food Processing

Aim:

• Ensure price stability of agricultural products.
• Provide definite income to farmers while making vegetables available to consumers at affordable prices.

Initial Focus (TOP):

• Tomato, Onion, and Potato were the initially targeted crops to ensure their price stability.

Expanded Scope (TOP to Total Approach):

• 22 new agri-products (fruits and vegetables) have been included under the scheme, expanding from TOP to a Total Approach for broader agricultural price stability.

Operation Greens aims to stabilize prices of essential agricultural products, ensuring farmers receive fair returns while consumers get fair prices. The scheme’s expansion to include more agri-products will have a broader impact on agricultural income and price stability across various commodities.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana

Launch Date: September 12, 2019 (from Ranchi, Jharkhand)

Scheme Type: Central Sector Scheme

Scheme Type: Farmer Pension Scheme

Objective:

• Provide economic aid and social security to small and marginal farmers during old age.

Administering Ministry:

• Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare

Beneficiaries:

• Indian farmers owning less than 2 hectares of land.

Eligibility Age:

• Farmers between the ages of 18 to 40 years.

Premium Details:

• Minimum Premium: Rs. 55 per month.
• Maximum Premium: Rs. 200 per month.

Pension Benefit:

• Eligible farmers will receive a monthly pension of Rs. 3,000 after attaining the age of 60 years.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana aims to provide a stable income and social security for small and marginal farmers in their old age, ensuring economic independence for them.