Index

Sr. no. Topic Page no.

Finance Sector
1. BHIM Aadhaar Aadhar Payment App for Merchants 5
2. BHIM Referral Bonus Scheme &Cashback Scheme 5
3. PradhanMantri Jan DhanYojana 5
4. PradhanMantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) 5
5. PradhanMantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana (PMJJBY) 6
6. PradhanMantriSurakshaBimaYojana (PMSBY) 6
7. Atal Pension Yojana (APY) 7
Cultural sector
8. NamamiBrahmputra 8
9. Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 8
(AMRUT)
10. Heritage Infrastructure Development and Augmentation 9
Yojana (HRIDAY)
Agriculture sector
11. SAUNI scheme 10
12. PradhanMantri Gram SinchaiYojana (PMGSY) 10
13. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Program (AIBP) 12
14. PradhanMantriFasalBimaYojana (PMFBY) 12
15. Mission Kakatiya 14
16. PanditDeendayalUpadhyayUnnatKrishiShiksha Scheme 15
17. ParamparagatKrishiVikasYojna 15
18. Ornamental Fisheries Project 15
19. Soil Health Card Scheme 16
20. Revenue Insurance Scheme for Plantation Crops (RISPC) 16
Education Sector
21. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 17
22. IDEAS scheme 17
23. UDAAN (Giving Wings to Girl Students) 17
24. Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) 18
25. VittiyaSaksharataAbhiyan 18
26. Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme 19
Health Sector
27. National Health Policy 2017 19
28. Aarambh Initiative 21

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 29. PradhanMantriSwasthyaSurakshaYojana (PMSSY) 22
30. JananiSurakshaYojna 22
31. Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC) 22
32. National Breastfeeding Promotion Programme 23
33. PradhanMantri Jan AushadhiYojana (PMJAY) 23
34. RashtriyaKishorSwasthyaKaryakram (RKSK) 24
35. National deworming programme 24
36. Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) 25
37. National BalSwachhta Mission 25
Other Social Sector schemes for disadvantaged sections

38. Central Scheme for Assistance to Civilian Victims of 25

Terrorist/ Communal/Left Wing Extremist (LWE), Cross
Border Firing and Mine/IED blasts on Indian Territory
39. Good Samaritans 26
40. Destination North East 2017 26
41. Gangajal Delivery Scheme 26
42. PradhanMantriRojgarProtsahanYojana (PMRPY) 27
43. Price Stabilization Fund scheme 27
44. Tejaswani programme 27
45. Convention on Elimination of All forms of Discrimiation 28
against Women
46. Border haats 29
47. BunkarMitra 29
48. PradhanMantriSukanyaSamriddhiYojana (PMSSY) 29
49. PradhanMantriAwasYojana (PMAY) 31
50. RashtriyaVayoshriYojana 32
51. Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan 34
52. DeendayalUpadhyaya Gram JyotiYojana (DUGJY) 35
53. 24x7 Power for All 35
54. PradhanMantriSurakshitMatritvaAbhiyan (PMSMA) 35
55. Bharat ke Veer 36
56. National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) 37
Industrial Sector
57. DeendayalAntyodayaYojana National Rural Livelihoods 38
Mission
58. PradhanMantriAwaasYojana (Urban) 38

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59. Project Development Fund 40
60. Global Maritime Energy Efficiency Partnership project 40
61. National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure 41
Project (NATRIP)
62. Vision Zero 41
63. Mission Fingerling 42
64. USTTAD scheme 42
65. HunarHaath 43
66. Make in India 43
67. Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme 45
68. Saksham 2017 46
69. National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme 47
70. Indian Institute of Skills 47
71. PravasiKaushalVikasYojana (PKVY) 48
72. UDAAN 48
73. Start-up India Scheme 48
74. Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) 48
Governance sector
75. VIKALP scheme 50
76. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan 50
77. Smart Cities Mission 52
78. AsliTarakki 52
79. JalKrantiAbhiyan 52
80. Smart Ganga City Scheme 52
81. Insurance cover for Rail Passengers 53
82. Civil Aviation Policy 53
83. One MP One Idea 54
84. National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy 54
85. UDAN (UdeDeshkaAamNaagrik) 55
86. Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) 55
87. SwadeshDarshan Scheme 55
88. New Print Media Advertisement Policy 56
89. DeenDayalUpadhyaya Gram JyotiYojana (DDUGJY) 57
90. Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) 58

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91. Shyama Prasad MukherjiRurban Mission 59
92. PAHAL-Direct Benefits Transfer for LPG (DBTL) 60
Consumers Scheme
93. NamamiGange Project 60
94. SetuBharatam Project 61
95. Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan 62

4
Finance Sector
BHIM Aadhaar Aadhar Payment
App for Merchants
In a bid to promote Aadhaar-based
payment system, Modi government
has launched a new Android app for
merchants to accept payments
using their biometric data or the
registered data under UIDAI's
Aadhaar number.
Aadhaar-based payment system is
currently being used by 1,10,000
business correspondents for
disbursing cash, and is also being
utilised in Common Service Centres
to pay for various services.
The app has been jointly developed
by UIDAI,NPCI and IDFC Bank. The
Unique Identification Authority of
India (UIDAI) is the nodal body
responsible for rolling out the
Aadhaar programme in the country.
Transactions through the app would
be made with the help of registered
data under UIDAI's Aadhaar
number.
BHIM Referral Bonus Scheme
&Cashback Scheme
Finance Minister ArunJaitley
announced two new schemes to
boost the adoption of BHIM (Bharat
Interface for Money) digital payment
app.
Prime Minister launched the
referral scheme for Bharat
Interface for Money (BHIM) app on
14 April.
Anyone who referred and
explained how to use the BHIM
app will stand a chance to earn
money.
Prelims facts
BHIM app has been covered
comprehensively in Module 1 of
Science and Technology.
PradhanMantri Jan DhanYojana
PradhanMantri Jan-DhanYojana is India's
National Mission for Financial Inclusion to
ensure access to financial services, namely
Banking Savings & Deposit Accounts,
Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Pension in
an affordable manner.
About
This financial inclusion campaign
was launched by the Prime Minister
of India NarendraModi on 28 August
2014. He had announced this
scheme on his first Independence
Day speech on 15 August 2014.
It is run by Department of Financial
Services, Ministry of Finance.
On the inauguration day, 1.5 Crore
(15 million) bank accounts were
opened under this scheme.Guinness
World Records Recognises the
Achievements.
PradhanMantri MUDRA Yojana
(PMMY)
PradhanMantri Mudra Yojana under
the Micro Units Development and Refinance
Agency (MUDRA) Bank is a new institution
being set up by Government of India for
development and refinancing activities
relating to micro units.
About
5
 It was announced by the Finance
Minister while presenting the Union
Budget for FY 2016.
The purpose of MUDRA is to provide
funding to the non corporate small
business sector.
Loans worth about Rs 1 lakh crore
have been sanctioned to small
entrepreneurs under the
PradhanMantri MUDRA Yojana.
Prelims facts
Under the scheme, PradhaanMantri
Mudra Yojana three categories of
interventions has been named
which includes
Shishu :- Loan up to 50,000
Kishore :- Loan ranging
from 50,000 (US$780) to 5 lakh
Tarun :- Loan above 5
lakh (US$7,800) and below 10
lakh
PradhanMantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana
(PMJJBY)
PradhanMantriJeevanJyotiBimaY
ojana is a government-backed Life
insurance scheme in India.
It was originally mentioned in
the 2015 Budget speech by Finance
Minister ArunJaitley in February
2015.
Only 20% of India's population has
any kind of insurance, this scheme
aims to increase the number.
About
Eligibility: Available to people in
the age group of 18 to 50 and having
a bank account. People who join the
scheme before completing 50 years
can, however, continue to have the
risk of life cover up to the age of 55
years subject to payment of
premium.
Premium: Rs.330 per annum. It
will be auto-debited in one
instalment.
Payment Mode: The payment of
premium will be directly auto-
debited by the bank from the
subscribers account.
Risk Coverage: Rs.2 Lakh in case of
death for any reason.
Terms of Risk Coverage: A person
has to opt for the scheme every
year. He can also prefer to give a
long-term option of continuing, in
which case his account will be auto-
debited every year by the bank.
Who will implement this
Scheme?: The scheme will be
offered by Life Insurance
Corporation and all other life
insurers who are willing to join the
scheme and tie-up with banks for
this purpose.
Government Contribution:
(i) Various other Ministries can
co-contribute premium for
various categories of their
beneficiaries out of their
budget or out of Public Welfare
Fund created in this budget
out of unclaimed money. This
will be decided separately
during the year.
(ii) Common Publicity
Expenditure will be borne by
Government.
PradhanMantriSurakshaBimaYojana
(PMSBY)
PradhanMantriSurakshaBimaYoja
na is a government-backed accident
insurance scheme in India.
6
 It was originally mentioned in
the 2015 Budget speech by Finance
Minister ArunJaitley in February
2015.
About
Eligibility: Available to people in
age group 18 to 70 years with bank
account.
Premium: Rs.12 per annum.
Payment Mode: The premium will
be directly auto-debited by the bank
from the subscribers account. This
is the only mode available.
Risk Coverage: For accidental
death and full disability - Rs.2 Lakh
and for partial disability Rs.1
Lakh.
Eligibility: Any person having a
bank account and Aadhaar number
linked to the bank account can give
a simple form to the bank every year
before 1st of June in order to join the
scheme. Name of nominee to be
given in the form.
Terms of Risk Coverage: A person
has to opt for the scheme every year.
He can also prefer to give a long-
term option of continuing in which
case his account will be auto-
debited every year by the bank.
Who will implement this
Scheme?: The scheme will be
offered by all Public Sector General
Insurance Companies and all other
insurers who are willing to join the
scheme and tie-up with banks for
this purpose.
Government Contribution:
(i) Various Ministries can co-
contribute premium for various
categories of their beneficiaries from
their budget or from Public Welfare
Fund created in this budget from
unclaimed money. This will be
decided separately during the year.
(ii) Common Publicity
Expenditure will be borne by the
Government.
Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
Atal Pension Yojana is a
government-backed pension scheme
in India targeted at the unorganised
sector.
It was originally mentioned in
the 2015 Budget speech by Finance
Minister ArunJaitley in February
2015.
APY will be focussed on all citizens
in the unorganised sector, who join
the National Pension System (NPS)
administered by the Pension Fund
Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA) and who are not
members of any statutory social
security scheme
About
Under the APY, the subscribers
would receive the fixed pension
of Rs. 1000 per month, Rs. 2000
per month, Rs. 3000 per month, Rs.
4000 per month, Rs. 5000 per
month, at the age of 60 years,
depending on their contributions,
which itself would vary on the age of
joining the APY.
The minimum age of joining APY is
18 years and maximum age is 40
years. Therefore, minimum period of
contribution by the subscriber
under APY would be 20 years or
more.
The benefit of fixed pension would
be guaranteed by the Government.
The Central Government would also
co-contribute 50% of the
subscribers contribution or Rs.
1000 per annum, whichever is
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 lower, to each eligible subscriber
account, for a period of 5 years, i.e.,
from 2015-16 to 2019-20, who
join the NPS before 31st December,
2015 and who are not income tax
payers.
The existing subscribers of
Swavalamban Scheme would be
automatically migrated to APY,
unless they opt out.
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is open to
all bank account holders who are
not members of any statutory social
security scheme.
Prelims facts
SwavalambanYojana was a
government-backed pension scheme
targeted at the unorganised
sector in India.
It was applicable to all citizens in
the unorganised sector who joined
the National Pension Scheme (NPS)
administered by the Pension Fund
Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA) Act 2013.
Under the scheme, the Government
of India contributed 1,000 per year
to each NPS account opened in the
year 2010-11 and for the next three
years, that is, 2011-12, 2012-13
and 2013-14.
The benefit was available only to
people who joined the NPS with a
minimum contribution
of 1,000 (US$16) and maximum
contribution of 12,000 (US$190)
per annum.
The scheme was announced by the
Finance Minister in Budget 2010-11

8
Cultural sector
About
NamamiBrahmputra
The biggest river festival of India
Namami Brahmaputra has started
in 21 districts of Assam on March
31, 2017.
President Pranab Mukherjee has
inaugurated the 5-day festival on
the banks of the river, which is
considered countrys only male
river.
Various cultural programmes,
traditional sports, Brahmaputra
Aarti, exhibition, film shows,
seminars and competitions will be
the part of the festival.
Spiritual leader Dalai Lama and
several Union ministers will also
attend the festival. This festival is
likely to give a boost to the
investment and tourism prospect in
the state.
Prime Minister of Bhutan, Governor
of Assam and Chief Ministers of
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will
also attend the inaugural ceremony.
China has also participated.
Various other countries such as
Vietnam and Singapore are also
attending
Prelims facts
The Brahmaputra is 2,900 km
long international river
originating in southwestern
Tibet, China.
Of its total length, 918 km flows
in India, 1625 km in China and
337 km in Bangladesh.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and
Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
AMRUT is the new avatar of the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
It adopts a project approach to
ensure basic infrastructure
services relating to water supply,
sewerage, storm-water drains,
transportation and development of
green spaces and parks with special
provision for meetingthe needs of
children.
Under this mission, 10% of the
budget allocation will be given to
states and union territories as
incentive based on the
achievement of reforms during
the previous year.
AMRUT will be implemented in 500
locations with a population of one
lakh and above.
It would cover some cities situated
on stems of main rivers, a few state
capitals and important cities located
in hilly areas, islands and tourist
areas.
Under this mission, states get the
flexibility of designing schemes
based on the needs of identified
cities and in their execution and
monitoring.
States will only submit state annual
action Plans to the centre for broad
concurrence based on which funds
will be released. The central
government will not appraise
individual projects.
Central assistance will be to the
extent of 50% of project cost for
cities and towns with a population
of up to 10 lakhs and one-third of
the project cost for those with a
population of above 10 lakhs.
9
 States will transfer funds to urban It aims to bring urban planning,
local bodies within 7 days of economic growth and heritage
transfer by central government and conservation together for heritage
no diversion of funds to be made cities.
failing which penal interest would be It also seeks beautification in an
charged besides taking other inclusive and integrated manner
adverse action by the centre. with focus on cleanliness,
livelihoods, skills, safety, security,
accessibility and faster service
delivery of heritage cities.
Heritage management plan (HMP)
Heritage Infrastructure Development and will be prepared for the identified
Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) cities which will outline heritage
resources and develop policies to
About guide their conservation,
The National Heritage Development restoration, future use and
and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) development.
aims to preserve and rejuvenate It will seek to improve last-mile
the rich cultural heritage of the connectivity heritage sites by
country. documentation, conservation of
It seeks to promote an integrated, areas, providing more facilities for
inclusive and sustainable women, senior citizens and
development of heritage sites, differently abled citizens.
focusing not just on maintenance HRIDAY will be dovetailed with the
of monuments but on Tourism Ministrys Pilgrimage
advancement of the entire Rejuvenation and Spiritual
ecosystem including its citizens, Augmentation Drive (PRASAD)
tourists and local businesses. scheme which has an outlay of Rs
Central government will meet the 100 crore for augmentation of
entire expenditure under the infrastructure at pilgrimage sites
scheme (Central Sector Scheme). across the country.
But, the states and local urban
bodies are requested to supplement
their resources for rapid
development of heritage cities. Prelims facts
The project will work through a Learn comprehensively about the
partnership of Government, cultural significance of the 12
Academic Institutions and local cities herein.
community combining affordable
technologies.
The 12 cities selected for the
scheme are Ajmer, Amritsar,
Amravati, Badami, Dwarka, Gaya,
Warangal, Puri, Kanchipuram,
Mathura, Varanasi and
Velankanni.
Features

10

Agriculture sector
SAUNI scheme
The Central Water
Commission External Assistance
Directorate has rejected Gujarat
government's request for funds for
the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran
Irrigation Yojana (SAUNI) on
technical grounds, questioning the
feasibility of the project.
With the Centre rejecting Gujarat's
request, the state government has
decided to fund the project entirely
from its own resources.
About
Saurashtra-Narmada Avataran
Irrigation Yojana (SauniYojana) has
been launched to divert one MAFt
excess over flowing flood water of
Narmada allocated to Saurashtra
Region.
The excess over flowing flood water
of Narmada will be distributed to
115 reservoirs of eleven districts of
Saurashtra through total 1126 km
long four link pipelines benefitting
10,22,589 acre land.
Prelims facts
Saurashtra is a peninsular region of
western India, located on
the Arabian Sea coast.
It covers about a third
of Gujarat state, notably 11 districts
of Gujarat.
Saurashtra peninsula is bounded on
the south and south-west by the
Arabian sea, on the north-west by
the Gulf of Kutch and on the east by
the Gulf of Khambhat.
From the apex of these two gulfs,
the Little Rann of
Kutch and Khambhat, waste tracts
half salt morass half sandy desert,
stretch inland towards each other
and complete the isolation of
Kathiawar, except one narrow neck
which connects it on the north-east
with the mainland of Gujarat.
The peninsula is sometimes referred
to as Kathiawar after
the KathiDarbar who once ruled
part of the region. Sorath forms the
southern portion of the peninsula.
After India's independence in 1947,
217 princely states of Kathiawar,
including the former Junagadh
State, were merged to form the state
of Saurashtra on 15 February 1948.
Initially, it was named United State
of Kathiawar which was renamed
to Saurashtra State in November
1948.
PradhanMantri Gram SinchaiYojana
(PMGSY)
About
PradhanMantriKrishiSinchaiYojan
a (PMKSY) is a national mission to
improve farm productivity and
ensure better utilization of the
resources in the country.
The budget of 500 billion in a time
span of five years (2015-16 to 2019-
20) has been allocated to this
scheme.
The primary objectives of PMKSY are
to attract investments in irrigation
system at field level, develop and
expand cultivable land in the
country, enhance ranch water use
in order to minimize wastage of
water, enhance crop per drop by
implementing water-saving
technologies and precision
irrigation.
11
 The plan additionally calls for
bringing ministries, offices,
organizations, research and
financial institutions occupied with
creation and recycling of water
under one platform so that an
exhaustive and holistic outlook of
the whole water cycle is considered.
The goal is to open the doors for
optimal water budgeting in all
sectors.
Tagline for PMKSY is "more crop per
drop".
Details
PradhanMantriKrishiSinchayeeYoja
na (PMKSY) has been formulated
amalgamating ongoing schemes viz.
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit
Programme (AIBP) of Ministry of
Water Resources, River Development
& Ganga Rejuvenation; Integrated
Watershed Management Programme
(IWMP) of Department of Land
Resources; and On Farm Water
Management (OFWM) component of
National Mission on Sustainable
Agriculture (NMSA) of Department of
Agriculture and Cooperation.
PMKSY is to be implemented in an
area development approach,
adopting decentralized state level
planning and projectised execution,
allowing the states to draw their
irrigation development plans based
on district/blocks plans with a
horizon of 5 to 7 years. States can
take up projects based on the
District/State Irrigation Plan.
All the States and Union Territories
including North Eastern States are
covered under the programme.
Prelims facts
In 1950-51, the Canal irrigated area
was 8.3 million hectares and it
currently stands at 17 million
hectares. Despite that, the relative
importance of Canals has come
down from 40% in 1951 to 26% in
2010-11.
On the other hand, the well and
tube well accounted for 29% total
irrigated area and now they share
64% of the total irrigated area.
This implies that despite of heavy
public expenditure on canals, our
governments have not been able to
reduce the groundwater depletion
done by the remarkable progress of
the tube wells in last many
decades. The key reason is
widening gap between irrigation
potential created and actually
utilized.
Irrigation System in India are
carried on in the following ways:
Well Water Irrigation system:
Wells are mainly found in U. P.,
Bihar, Tamil Nadu, etc. There are
various types of wells shallow
wells, deep wells, tube wells,
artesian wells, etc.
Tube wells are mostly used in U.P.,
Haryana, Punjab, Bihar and
Gujarat.
In Rajasthan and Maharashtra,
artesian wells are now supplying
water to agricultural lands. In
artesian wells, water level remains
at a high-level because of the
natural flow of water due to high
pressure.
Tank Water Irrigation system:
In the Deccan, water-reservoirs are
made by constructing dams. This
system is greatly adopted in the
States of Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, and Karnataka, etc. In
Northern India also, tanks are
constructed for storing water. From
all these tanks, water is carried to
the fields through canals.
12
 In many places, rain-water
harvesting systems are installed and
water is stored in large
artificial reservoirs to be used for
agricultural purposes.
Inundation Irrigation system:
In many places during the rainy
season, there is flood in the rivers.
The flood water is carried to the field
through canals. These canals are
found in W.B., Bihar, Orissa, etc.
They supply water only when there
is flood in the rivers, and therefore,
are of no use during the dry season
when water is required most.
Perennial Canals Irrigation System:
The perennial canals get the supply
of water either from the river directly
or through the reservoirs of the river
projects. In order to supply water
throughout the year, reservoirs are
constructed for storing water.
. This type of perennial canal is
found mostly in Punjab, U.P., and
Tamil Nadu.
In Punjab, the upper Bari Doab
canal connecting the Ravi and the
Beas and Sirhind (from the Sutlej)
canal is famous.
In U.P., the Upper Ganga and the
Lower Ganga canals, Agra and
Sarda canals, etc. are important.
In Tamil Nadu, most important are
the Buckingham canal and the
Periyar canal.
Multi Purpose River Valley Projects :
In recent years, multi-purpose river
valley projects are helping
agriculture. The most important are:
the Damodar Valley Project in West
Bengal,
the Mor (Mayurakshi) Project in
West Bengal,
the Mahanadi (Hirakud) Project in
Orissa,
the Kosi Project in Bihar, and
theBhakraNangal Project in Punjab.
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits
Program (AIBP)
About
AIBP was launched in 1996-97 for
extending loan assistance to states
for the completion of near
complete irrigation scheme.
The Major/Medium Irrigation
(MMI) includes Extension,
Renovation and Modernization
(ERM) of irrigation projects and
Surface Minor Irrigationschemes, as
well as Lift Irrigation Schemes(LIS).
The assistance provided was entirely
in the form on loan in the
beginning but later a grant
component was also added in
2005.
For special category states, DPAP
(Drought Prone Area Programme)
states, Tribal Areas, Flood Prone
Areas and KBK (Koraput-Balangir-
Kalahandi ) area of Odisha, the
Central Government would provide
90% of the project cost only as
grants.
PradhanMantriFasalBimaYojana
(PMFBY)
About
PradhanMantriFasalBimaYojana
was launched in January 2016. This
scheme replaced the existing two
crop insurance schemes viz.
National Agricultural Insurance
13
 Scheme (NAIS) and Modified NAIS
and is being implemented since
Kharif season of 2016 (June 2016).
Details
The scheme covers Kharif, Rabi,
annual commercial as well as
horticultural crops
For Kharif crops, the farmers part of
premium is 2% of sum assured.
For Rabi crops, the farmers part of
premium is 1.5% of the sum
assured.
For annual commercial and
horticultural crops, the farmers
part of premium is 5%.
The remaining part of premium is
paid equally by the central and
respective state governments.
Both Private and Public Sector
Insurance Companies provide
FasalBima
There will be one insurance
company for the whole state. Private
insurance companies will be roped
along with Agriculture Insurance
Company of India Limited (AIC) to
implement the scheme.
The scheme covers yield loss as well
as post-harvest loss
Apart from yield loss, the new
scheme will cover post-harvest
losses also.
It will also provide farm level
assessment for localised calamities
including hailstorms, unseasonal
rains, landslides and inundation.
Use of technology is mandatory The
scheme proposes mandatory use of
remote sensing, smart phones and
drones for quick estimation of crop
loss. This will speed up the claim
process.
Within next 2-3 years, the scheme
aims to bring 50% farmers under
the scheme.
The settlement of claims will be
fastened for the full sum assured.
About 25% of the likely claim will be
settled directly on farmers account.
There will not be a cap on the
premium and reduction of the sum
insured.
The PMFBY is demand driven
scheme , therefore no targets are
fixed.
The expenditures of this scheme are
funded through KrishiKalyanKosh
in which money obtained through
KrishiKalyan Cess is credited.
Prelims facts
There have been several crop
insurance models in the country
since 1970s.
In 1985, the Rajiv Gandhi
government had first launched a
crop insurance scheme in India
called Comprehensive Crop
Insurance scheme (CCIS).
In 1997, an Experimental Crop
Scheme was launched which lasted
only for a year.
In 1999, the NDA government
launched National Agricultural
Insurance Scheme (NAIS) to protect
the farmers against losses suffered
by them due to crop failures on
account of natural calamities like;
floods, drought, hailstorms, cyclone,
pests and diseases etc.
World Food Programme
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has
appointed former South Carolina
GovernorDavid Beasley to run the Rome-
based World Food Programme (WFP).
About
As the international community has
committed to end hunger, achieve
food securityand improved nutrition
by 2030, one in nine people
14
 worldwide still do not haveenough to
eat.
Food and food-related assistance lie
at the heart of the struggle to break
the cycle ofhunger and poverty.
The World Food Programme is the
food-assistance branch of the
United Nations andthe world's
largest humanitarian organization
addressing hunger and promoting
foodsecurity.
It is assisting 80 million people in
around 80 countries each year,
delivering foodassistance in
emergencies and working with
communities to improve nutrition
andbuild resilience.
WFPs efforts focus on emergency
assistance, relief and rehabilitation,
developmentaid and special
operations.
Two-thirds of its work is in conflict-
affected countries where people are
three timesmore likely to be
undernourished than those living in
countries without conflict.
It was established in 1961 after the
1960 Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO)Conference.
Its headquarter is in Rome (Italy)
and has more than 80 country
offices around theworld
Mission Kakatiya
About
Mission Kakatiya is the Telangana
governments flagship programme
aimed at restoring minor irrigation
sources like tanks and other water
bodies to help small and marginal
farmers.
The name Mission Kakatiya is given
in the remembrance and tribute to
the Kakatiya rulers who developed
large number of the irrigation tanks.
Prelims facts
Kakatiya dynasty was a South
Indian dynasty whose capital was
Orugallu, now known as Warangal.
It was eventually conquered by
the Delhi Sultanate.
The demise of Kakatiya dynasty
resulted in confusion and anarchy
under alien rulers for sometime.
Three new fledgling kingdoms arose
out of the ruins of the Kakatiya
empire namely the Reddy kingdom,
Padma Nayaka Velama kingdom
and the great Vijayanagara Empire
Mega Food Parks Scheme
The Scheme of Mega Food Park aims
at providing a mechanism to link
agricultural production to the
market by bringing together
farmers, processors and retailers so
as to ensure maximizing value
addition, minimizing wastages,
increasing farmers income and
creating employment opportunities
particularly in rural sector.
Aim of the Scheme: The Scheme is
aimed at providing modern
infrastructure facilities along the
value chain from farm gate to the
market with strong backward and
forward linkages.
The government is planning to set
up 100 new cold chain projects
aimed at boosting farm sector
incomes by establishing farm to fork
linkages.
They facilitate the efforts to increase
the level of processing of
agricultural and horticultural
produce, with particular focus on
perishables, in the country and
thereby to check the wastage.
15
 The Scheme has a cluster based
approach based on a hub and
spokes model.
It includes creation of infrastructure
for primary processing and storage
near the farm in the form of
Primary Processing Centres (PPCs)
and Collection Centres (CCs) and
common facilities and enabling
infrastructure at Central
Processing Centre (CPC).
The scheme is demand-driven and
would facilitate food processing
units to meet environmental, safety
and social standards.
Mega Food Park project is
implemented by a Special Purpose
Vehicle (SPV) which is a Body
Corporate registered under the
Companies Act.
State Government/State
Government entities/Cooperatives
applying for setting up a project
under the scheme are not required
to form a separate SPV.
PanditDeendayalUpadhyayUnnatKrish
iShiksha Scheme
ParamparagatKrishiVikasYojna
About
It has been formulated to promote
Organic Farming.
The objective is to promote eco-
friendly concept of cultivation
reducing the dependency on agro-
chemicals and fertilizers and to
optimally utilize the locally available
natural resources for input
production.
It will be implemented in a cluster
based approach and farmers will be
funded to meet the expenditure from
farm to market.
Government is promoting organic
farming through various schemes/
programmes under:
National Mission for Sustainable
Agriculture (NMSA)/
ParamapragatKrishiVikasYojana
(PKVY),
RashtriyaKrishiVikasYojana (RKVY),
Mission for Integrated Development
of Horticulture (MIDH),
National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil
Palm (NMOOP),
Network Project on Organic Farming
of ICAR

About
PanditDeendayalUpadhyayUnnatKri Ornamental Fisheries Project
shiShiksha Scheme launched in the
year 2016 to promote agricultural About
education under which 100 centres The Department of Animal
are opened. Husbandry, Dairying and
Opening of new Universities and Fisheries, the Ministry of
Colleges are being done to promote Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
agriculture education has envisaged a program to unlock
the countrys ornamental fisheries
sector through a special drive by
launching a pilot scheme for the
development of ornamental
fisheries.

16
 Objectives: About 400 species of marine
o To promote ornamental fish ornamental fishes and 375
culture with cluster-based freshwater ornamental varieties are
approach. available in various parts of our
oTo augment ornamental fisheries country.
trade and export earnings.
oTo create employment
opportunities for the rural
&periurban
population. Soil Health Card Scheme
oUse of modern technology and
innovation to make ornamental About
fisheries a thriving activity. It is a scheme to provide every
Development of Ornamental farmer a Soil Health Card in a
Fisheries for the socio-economic Mission mode.
development of the people involved Provides assistance to State
in this activity as well as for exports. Governments for setting up Soil
The pilot project on ornamental Testing Laboratories for issuing
fisheries shall be implemented by Soil Health Cards to farmers.
the National Fisheries The scheme will be implemented in
Development Board (NFDB) all states to promote soil testing
through the Fisheries Departments services
of States/UTs. State Governments should adopt
For the purpose of implementation innovative practices like
of the pilot project, a total of 8 involvement of agricultural
potential States have been students, NGOs and private sector
identified, viz., Assam, West in soil testing, determining average
Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra, soil health of villages, etc., to issue
Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu Soil Health Cards.
and Kerala. The state governments are also
required to prepare yearly action
Prelims facts plan on the issue and the cost will
Ornamental fishery is a sub-sector be shared in the ratio of 75:25
of the fisheries sector dealing with between the Centre and states.
breeding and rearing of coloured
fish of both freshwater and
marine water.
Though ornamental fisheries do not
directly contribute to the food
and nutritional security, it Revenue Insurance Scheme for
generates livelihood and income for Plantation Crops (RISPC)
the rural and periurban population,
especially women and unemployed About
youth as part-time activities. The Union Ministry of Commerce
The ornamental fish industry in and Industry has launched pilot
India is small but vibrant, with Revenue Insurance Scheme for
potential for tremendous growth. Plantation Crops (RISPC).

17
 RISPC is the improved form of the
Price Stabilization Fund (PSF)
Scheme which was closed in 2013.
Launched for protecting growers of
plantation crops from twin risks of
yield loss due to pest attacks,
adverse weather parameters etc.
and income loss caused by fall in
domestic and international
prices.
It shall be covering tea, coffee,
rubber, cardamom and tobacco
plantations and shall be
implemented by the commodity
boards.
The scheme is compulsory for
growers registered with the
respective Commodity Boards (CBs)
and it is implemented on pilot basis
in 7 states

18
 facing the country and get rewarded
Education Sector About
for their efforts.

The scheme will be called IDEAS,

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan or Innovations for Development of
Efficient and Affordable Systems.
It is an initiative to challenge young
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a
minds with problems of society in
programme under Ministry of
general, to come up with innovative,
Human Resource Development
original, practical and economical
(MHRD).
solutions.
This programme will be launched in
The Human Resource Development
collaboration with the Indian
Ministry has identified a handful of
Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the
areas pertaining to which the
National Institutes of Technology
problem-solving skills of students
(NITs) across the country.
will be tested. These are affordable
The main idea for launching the
healthcare, computer science and
programme is to provide definitive
ICT, energy (making
research that can be aligned with
solar/renewable resources cheaper,
national development.
energy efficiency, etc.), affordable
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan has an aim
housing, healthcare, agriculture,
to connect institutions of higher
education, water resources and river
education, including Indian
systems, affordable infrastructure,
Institutes of Technology (IITs),
defence, cyber-security and
National Institutes of Technology
information security, and
(NITs) and Indian Institutes of
environment and climate change.
Science Education & Research
The scheme will invite students to
(IISERs) etc. with local communities
find solutions to problems in these
to address the development
fields and offer a prize of 1 crore
challenges through appropriate
to the best solution in each field.
technologies.
Some of the problems that the
institutes will be looking at are,
supply of potable water,
sanitation, energy and low cost
housing. UDAAN (Giving Wings to Girl Students)

About
This project aims at addressing the
lower enrolment of girls in
engineering colleges/IITs and
IDEAS scheme
technological institutions.
It involves training 1000 selected
The Centre is set to launch a
girl students to compete for
scheme for students from higher
admission at premier Engineering
educational institutions to volunteer
colleges in India by providing course
to offer innovative, original and
in an online and offline format.
practical solutions to problems

19
 The girl students enrolled in classes
XI of kendriyavidyalayas/
NavodayVidyalays/other
Government run Schools affiliated to
any Board in India are eligible for
the Scheme
Higher Education Financing Agency
(HEFA)
To enable institutions of higher
education in the country achieve
financial autonomy, fund more
research and improve
infrastructure, the Union
government signed an agreement
with Canara Bank to set up a non-
banking financial company (NBFC).
Called the Higher Education
Finance Agency (HEFA), the joint
venture between the human
resource development (HRD)
ministry and the bank will start
lending to institutions from May-
June 2017.
Canara Bank was selected through
an open bidding system after the
HRD ministry invited bids from
financial institutions in November-
December to partner it in the setting
up of HEFA.
About
HEFA will provide an alternative
source of funding to institutions to
meet their financial requirements. It
will also push institutions to become
financially self-sustaining and not
depend on the government for all
their growth requirements.
The HEFA would be a special
purpose vehicle. It would leverage
the equity to raise up to 20,000
crore for funding projects for
infrastructure and development of
world class Labs in IITs/IIMs/NITs
and such other institutions.
It would also mobilise CSR funds
from PSUs/corporates, which would
in turn be released for promoting
research and innovation in these
institutions on grant basis.
The HEFA would finance the civil
and lab infrastructure projects
through a 10-year loan. The
principal portion of the loan will be
repaid through the internal
accruals (earned through the fee
receipts, research earnings etc.,) of
the institutions. The government
would service the interest portion
through the regular Plan assistance.
Canara Bank is also the nodal bank
for administering the Central
scheme to provide interest subsidy
during the period of moratorium on
educational loans for students
belonging to economically weaker
sections (with parental income from
all sources up to 4.5 lakh per
annum).
The scheme is effective for all
educational loans as per Indian
Banks Associations model
education loan scheme, sanctioned
to eligible students in respect of
courses in technical and
professional streams from
recognised institutions in India,
disbursed from the academic year
2009-10.
VittiyaSaksharataAbhiyan
About
VittiyaSaksharataAbhiyan (VISAKA)
was launched by the Union
Ministry for Human Resource
Development (HRD) to make
20
 people aware about cashless The project will be implemented with
economic system. the facility of Direct Funds Transfer
Young students and faculty to the accounts of beneficiary
members will be roped to institutes
encourage, create awareness and
motivate all people to use digitally
enabled cashless economic system.
For active participation of youth and
faculty, HRD Minister also launched
a webpage where students can
register themselves.
NCC/NSS volunteers to spread
awareness about these digital modes
of transactions to shopkeepers,
vendors in nearest market place.

Technical Education Quality

Improvement Programme

About
The Technical Education Quality
Improvement Programme (TEQIP)
commenced in 2003 with World
Bank assistance as a long term
programme to be implemented in
three phases.
The Government has approved the
proposal for initiation of the Third
Phase of Technical Education
Quality Improvement Programme
(TEQIP).
It aims to upscale and support
ongoing efforts in improving
quality of technical education and
enhancing existing capacities of
the institutions.
The Project will be implemented as a
Central Sector Scheme with total
project outlay of Rs. 3600 crore.
The project will cover all
Government / Government aided
engineering institutes, affiliating
technical universities (ATUs) and
CFTIs from Focus States/UT.

21

Health Sector
National Health Policy 2017
The Union Cabinet approved the
National Health Policy 2017 with an
aim to provide healthcare in an
assured manner to all.
The main objective of this policy is
to achieve the highest possible level
of good health and well-being,
through a preventive and promotive
health care orientation in all
developmental policies, and to
achieve universal access to good
quality health care services without
anyone having to face financial
hardship as a consequence.
About
The policy proposes raising public
health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of
the GDP by 2025.
Among key targets, the policy
intends to increase life expectancy
at birth from 67.5 to 70 by 2025
and reduce infant mortality rate to
28 by 2019.
It also aims to reduce under five
mortality to 23 by the year 2025.
Besides, it intends to achieve the
global 2020 HIV target.
Key Features
Access and financial protection: It
proposes free drugs, free diagnostics
and free emergency care services in
all public hospitals at secondary
and tertiary care levels.
Enhanced govt. spending on
healthcare: It recommends
prioritizing the role of the
Government in shaping health
systems. It proposed raising public
health expenditure to 2.5% of the
22
GDP from the current 1.4% in a
time bound manner.
Collaboration with the private
sector for strategic purchasing,
capacity building, skill development
programmes, awareness generation,
developing sustainable networks for
community to strengthen mental
health services, and disaster
management.
Comprehensive primary health
care: It provides for larger package
of assured comprehensive primary
health care through the Health and
Wellness Centers. It includes
geriatric health care, palliative care
and rehabilitative care services. It
intends to ensure availability of two
beds per 1,000 population
distributed in a manner to enable
access within golden hour [the first
hour after traumatic injury, when
the victim is most likely to benefit
from emergency treatment].
Specific quantitative targets:
These are aimed at reduction of
disease prevalence/incidence, for
health status and programme
impact, health system performance
and system strengthening.
Registries for diseases: To
strengthen the health and
surveillance system, it proposes
establishment of registries for
diseases of public health importance
by 2020. It also seeks to align other
policies for medical devices and
equipment with public health goals.
Pre-emptive care: Aims at pre-
empting the occurrence of diseases
to achieve optimum levels of child
and adolescent health.
Focus on schools: It calls for school
health programmes as also health
and hygiene made a part of the
school curriculum.
 Mainstream different health
systems: In order to leverage the
pluralist health care legacy of India.
It envisages better AYUSH remedies
through co-location in public
facilities. Yoga would also be
introduced much more widely in
school and work places as part of
promotion of good health.
Giving back to society: It is an
initiative that supports voluntary
service in rural and under-served
areas on pro-bono basis by
recognized healthcare professionals.
Deployment of digital tools for
improving the efficiency and
outcome of the healthcare system
and proposes establishment of
National Digital Health Authority
(NDHA) to regulate, develop and
deploy digital health across the
continuum of care.
Increased dearness allowance
(DA): This will benefit millions of
central govt. employees and
pensioners.
Push up male sterilization by at
least 30%: This exhibits concern for
the plight of women, who, after
dealing with unwanted pregnancies
and repeated childbirths, also
undergo harrowing tubectomies.
National Family Health Survey
The Union Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare unveiled last
National Family Health Survey-4
(NFHS-4) for 2015-16.
It has shown positive trends in key
health indicators, including an
decline in infant mortality rate (IMR)
and improvement in sex ratio at
birth during 2015-16.
Key Findings
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has
declined from 57 to 41 per 1,000 live
births between NFHS-3 (2005-06)
and NFHS-4.
Sex ratio at birth (number of
females per 1,000 males)has
improved from 914 to 919 at the
national level over the last decade.
Institutional births increased by
40 percentage points to 78.9% in
NFHS 4
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has
declined to 2.2 children per woman.
Full immunization coverage:
Children within the age of 12-23
months have been fully immunized
(BCG, measles and 3 doses each of
polio) and DPT increased by 18
percentage points to 62% in NFHS-
4.
Underweight children: There was a
decline by 7 percentage points, a
consequence of improved child
feeding practices and focus on
nutritional aspects of children.
Prelims facts
NFHS is a collaborative project of
the International Institute for
Population Sciences(IIPS), Mumbai,
India; ORC Macro, Calverton,
Maryland, USA and the East-West
Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
The Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MOHFW), Government of
India, designated IIPS as the nodal
agency, responsible for providing
coordination and technical guidance
for the NFHS.
NFHS was funded by the United
States Agency for International
Development (USAID) with
supplementary support from United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
MAA programme initiative
MAA (Mothers Absolute Affection), a
flagship programme to ensure
23
 adequate awareness is protection in the country, has
generated among masses, especially collaborated with the U.K.-based
mothers, on the benefits of Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
breastfeeding. The hotline in India will be hosted
MAA-Mothers Absolute Affection' on aarambhindia.org and will enable
is a nationwide programme users to report child sexual abuse
launched in an attempt to bring images and videos in a safe and
undiluted focus on promotion of anonymous environment.
breastfeeding and provision of It is a simple, accessible form
counselling services for supporting (available in Hindi & English) that
breastfeeding through health any informed user who stumbles
systems. across sexually explicit imagery of a
The programme has been named child on the public internet can use
MAA to signify the support a to report the content. Latter it will
lactating mother requires from be started in other languages.
family members and at health
facilities to breastfeed successfully.
The chief components of the MAA
Programme are
i. Community awareness generation,
ii. Strengthening inter personal
communication through PradhanMantriSwasthyaSurakshaYoja
ASHA, na (PMSSY)
iii. Skilled support for breastfeeding at
Delivery points in Public health About
facilities, and The Central Sector Scheme, PMSSY
was announced in 2003 with
iv. Monitoring and Award/recognition. objectives of correcting regional
imbalances in the availability of
affordable/ reliable tertiary
healthcare services and also to
augment facilities for quality
medical education in under-served
or backward States, in particular.
Aarambh Initiative
PMSSY has two components:
o Setting up of AIIMS like
About
Institutions
It is the country's first-ever hotline
o Upgradation of Government
to curb sexual abuse of children
Medical College Institutions
through the Internet and to remove
It is hoped that consequent to the
child pornographic content online
successful implementation of
unveiled.
PMSSY, better and affordable
To eliminate the scourge of online
healthcare facilities will be easily
child pornography and further the
accessible to one and all in the
cause of child protection in online
country.
spaces.
It is a network of organizations and
individuals working on child

24
 JananiSurakshaYojna

A new study brings in first conclusive Leprosy Case Detection Campaign

evidence of the role played by (LCDC)
JananiSurakshaYojana (JSY) in reducing
socioeconomic disparities existing in
maternal care. About
In a bid to eradicate Leprosy from
India, Union Health and Family
About Welfare Ministry had launched the
The JananiSurakshaYojana (JSY) is biggest Leprosy Case Detection
a 100% centrally sponsored Campaign (LCDC) in the country
Scheme with the objective of across 149 districts of 19
reducing maternal and infant states/UTs.
mortality by promoting The Leprosy Case Detection
institutional delivery among Campaign is a unique initiative of
pregnant women. its kind in the world where each and
It is a safe motherhood intervention every member of the targeted
under the National Rural Health population will be examined by the
Mission (NHM). search team constituted of one male
JananiSurakshaYojana was and one female volunteer at
launched in April 2005 by household level.
modifying the National Maternity House to house visits will be done
Benefit Scheme (NMBS). by the search team as per the micro
The scheme is under plan prepared for the local area to
implementation in all states and detect hidden and undetected
Union Territories (UTs), with a leprosy cases.
special focus on Low Performing The objective of the campaign is
States (LPS). the early detection of leprosy in
In High Performing States (HPS), affected persons so that they can be
where the levels of institutional saved from physical disability and
delivery are satisfactory,Pregnant deformity by providing them timely
women from BPL/SC/ST treatment and thus also halting
households only are entitled for JSY the transmission of disease at the
benefit. community level.
The scheme provides performance The first LCDC was launched during
based incentives to women health March-April 2016 in 50 districts of 7
volunteers known as ASHA states covering a population of
(Accredited Social Health Activist) about 6.8 crores
for promoting institutional delivery
among pregnant women.
There is no bar on age of mother,
number of children or type of
institution i.e a government or National Breastfeeding Promotion
accredited private health facility. Programme

25
 Dixit as brand ambassador to
About promote breastfeeding.
Government has launched National
Breastfeeding Promotion
Programme MAA (mothers
absolute affection) to ensure
adequate awareness is generated
PradhanMantri Jan AushadhiYojana
among masses, especially mothers,
on the benefits of breastfeeding.
(PMJAY)
The goal of the Programme is to
Government has launched Jan
enhance optimal breastfeeding
Aushadhi Scheme to make available
practices, which includes initiation
quality generic medicines at
of breastfeeding within an hour of
affordable prices to all, especially the
birth, exclusive breastfeeding for
poor, throughout the country,
the first six months, and continued
through outlets known as Jan
breastfeeding for at least two years.
Aushadhi Stores (JASs).
The government will train nurses
About
in government hospitals, Accredited
Under the Jan Aushadhi Scheme,
Social Health Activists (ASHA),
the State Governments are required
Auxiliary Nurse Mid-wives (ANM) to
to provide space in Government
provide relevant information and
Hospital premises or any other
counselling support to mothers
suitable locations for the running of
for breastfeeding.
the Jan Aushadhi Stores (JAS).
Monitoring and impact
Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India
assessment is also an integral part
(BPPI) is to provide one-time
of MAA programme.
assistance of Rs.2.50 lakhs as
Progress will be measured against
furnishing and establishment costs,
key indicators, such as availability
start up cost for setting up a Jan
of skilled persons at ground for
Aushadhi Outlet.
counselling, improvement in
Any NGO/Charitable
breastfeeding practices and number
Society/Institution/Self Help Group
of accredited health facilities.
with experience of minimum 3 years
Dedicated funds Rs 4.3 lakhs per
of successful operation in welfare
district, have been allocated to
activities, can also open the Jan
states for the programme, which is
Aushadhi store outside the hospital
in addition to the funds approved
premises.
under National Health Missions
In case of Stores opened in North
annual project implementation
Eastern States and other difficult
plans.
areas i.e., Naxal affected
To ensure effective roll-out of the
areas/Tribal areas etc., the rate of
programme ministry of health has
incentive is15% of monthly sale
established MAA secretariat and a
amount, subject to a ceiling of
steering committee will be created
Rs.15,000/- per month.
in all states and at the district level.
The programme will be monitored
by UNICEF and other partners.
UNICEF has roped in actor Madhuri

26
 RashtriyaKishorSwasthyaKaryakram About
(RKSK) The National Deworming Day is
observed every year on February
About 10 with main objective to combat
RKSK programme was launched by parasitic worm infections among
the Union Ministry of Health and preschool and school-age children
Family Welfare in January 2014 across India.
with an aim to cater and address It was launched in 2015 by the
health and development needs of Union Ministry of Health and Family
the countrys adolescents. Welfare (MoHFW).
It introduces community-based The programme is being
interventions through peer implemented through the combined
educators (Saathiyas), and is efforts of Department of School
underpinned by collaborations Education and Literacy under
with other ministries and state Ministry of Human Resource and
governments. Development, Ministry of Women
To guide the implementation of this and Child Development and
programme, the ministry in Ministry of Drinking Water and
collaboration with United Nations Sanitation.
Population Fund (UNFPA) has During NDD single dose of
developed a National Adolescent Albendazoleis administered to
Health Strategy. children from under 1 to 19 years of
RKSK identifies six strategic age group through the platforms of
priorities for adolescents: schools and aanganwadicenters.
o Nutrition Albendazole is an extremely safe
o Sexual and reproductive health drug that has been used for decades
(SRH) by millions of people around the
o Non-communicable diseases world and in India, with no or
(NCDs) minimal side effects.
o Substance misuse Side effects such as nausea and
o Injuries and violence (including vomiting can manifest in the
gender-based violence) children with high worm load.
o Mental health.
The strategy focuses on age groups
10-14 years and 15-19 years with
universal coverage.
It covers males and females in
school and out of school; married Universal Immunization Programme
and unmarried; in urban and rural; (UIP)
and vulnerable and under-served.
About
Universal Immunization Programme
is a vaccination program launched
by the Government of India in 1985.

National deworming programme

27
 It became a part of Child Survival The Women and Child Development
and Safe Motherhood Programme Departments of various states will
in 1992. implement the BalSwachhta Mission
It is currently one of the key areas with the help of Departments of
under National Rural Health School Education, Urban
Mission (NRHM) since 2005. Development, Drinking Water and
The program now consists of Sanitation, and Information and
vaccination for 11 diseases: Publicity.
Tuberculosis, Pertussis,
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Hepatitis B,
Polio, Pneumonia and Meningitis
due to Haemophilus Influenza
type b (Hib), Measles, Rubella,
Rotavirus diarrhoea and Japanese
Encephalitis (JE).
Rubella, JE and Rotavirus vaccine
are given in select states and
districts.

National BalSwachhta Mission

It was launched on 125th birth anniversary

of first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal
Nehru.
About
BalSwachhta Mission is a part of the
nationwide sanitation initiative of
Swachh Bharat Mission launched
by the Prime Minister on 2nd
October, 2014.
The nationwide BalSwachhta
Mission will have the following six
themes:- Clean Anganwadis .
Clean Surroundings e.g.
Playgrounds. Clean Self (Personal
Hygiene/Child Health).
Clean Food.
Clean Drinking Water.
Clean Toilets.
Under this mission, BalSwachhta
Week will be observed from 14th to
19th November and one of the above
themes would be covered at each
Anganwadi Centre in all states.

28

Other Social Sector
schemes for
disadvantaged
sections
Central Scheme for Assistance to
Civilian Victims of Terrorist/
Communal/Left Wing Extremist (LWE),
Cross Border Firing and Mine/IED
blasts on Indian Territory
About
Any civilian who dies anywhere in
the country due to terror attack,
LWE violence, firing from across the
border, shelling or IED explosion
will be given Rs.5 lakh as
compensation uniformly. The
amount will be given to the next
of kin of the victim.
5 lakh will also be given to those
who receive 50% or more disability
or incapacitation due to the same
reasons.
The compensation amount will be
given subject to the condition that
no employment has been provided
to any of the family members of the
victims by State or Central
Government.
Scheme
Good Samaritans
About
Supreme Court had directed in an
October 2014 case of Save LIFE
Foundation asking the Centre to
issue directions to save Good
Samaritans.
Good Samaritan is a person who
voluntarily declares himself to be an
eyewitness of a road accident and
who give reasonable assistance to
those who are injured in the
accident.
Centre, in April 2016, had issued
notification for protection of Good
Samaritans.
Guidelines include:
1. Assuring Good Samaritans
anonymity and protecting them
from any civil or criminal liability
for taking the victim to the nearest
hospital.
2. They shall be treated respectfully
and without discrimination on the
grounds of gender, religion,
nationality, caste or any other.
3. Complete anonymity in case the
Good Samaritan does not want to
reveal his name or details.
4. Use of video-conferencing in case
of any further interaction with him
by the authorities and provision for
the police to examine him at his
residence or office or any place of
his convenience.
Destination North East 2017
Destination North East-2017 (DNE-
2017) was organized to build upon
the comparative advantages of the
North East Region, which included
Business Summit, Buyer-Seller
meet, exhibition stalls showcasing
best features of NE to attract
investment in tourism, skill, start-
up, handlooms & handicrafts,
horticulture, medicinal and
aromatic plants.
About
29
 Destination North East event is one
of the steps taken by Ministry of
Development of North Eastern
Region to bring North East closer
and help assimilate the diverse
cultural heritage of India while
encouraging investment in priority
sectors like Tourism, Handloom,
Handicrafts, Food Processing etc.
Other steps taken by Ministry of
DoNER towards assimilation of
North Eastern Region, are funding
Business Summits, Seminars,
Buyers & Sellers meets to attract
investors in North Eastern Region
and supporting participation of
weavers/artisans of NER in Craft
Bazaars and exhibitions all over
India to promote their Handloom
and Handicrafts and give them
exposure to the National Market.
Gangajal Delivery Scheme
Gangajal delivery scheme has been
launched at General Post Master
office in Patna, Bihar.
The initiative to deliver Gangajal, a
holy water from the river Ganga,
from Indian Postal Services.
Under the scheme, the pious
Gangajal, brought from Gangotri
and Rishikesh, would be delivered at
the doorsteps of people at nominal
prices.
PradhanMantriRojgarProtsahanYojan
a (PMRPY)
PradhanMantriRojgarProtsahanYojana has
been designed to incentivize employers for
generation of new employment, wherein
Govt. of India pays employers contribution
of 8.33% of wages under EPS (Employee
Pension Scheme) in respect of new
employees for first 3 years.
About
This scheme is in operation since
August, 2016 and is being
implemented by Ministry of Labour
& Employment.
The scheme is basically to
incentivise the employers for giving
employment to new additional
workers who have worked for 240
days during financial year 2016-17.
In the Union Budget 2017-18, the
Government has allocated Rs. 1000
Crore for this scheme including
funds for North East & SCSP & TSP.
The details of the scheme and its
launch date are yet to be defined
Price Stabilization Fund scheme
About
Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) refers
to any fund constituted for the
purpose of containing
extreme volatility in prices of
selected commodities.
The amount in the fund is generally
utilised for activities aimed at
bringing down/up the high/low
prices say for instance, procurement
of such products and distribution of
30
 the same as and when required, so
that prices remain in a range.
India first created a price
stabilisation fund for some export
oriented plantation crops in 2003,
and this ceased to exist in 2013.
Another fund was created in 2015
for perishable agricultural and
horticultural commodities, but
initially limited to support potato
and onion prices only.
Price Stabalisation Fund (PSF) was
shifted to Consumer Affairs Ministry
from Agriculture Ministry for
effective control of price rise in
essential commodities and provide
relief to the consumers
Tejaswani programme
Union Government has signed a
Financing Agreement with World
Bank for IDA credit of $63 million
for the Tejaswini Socio-Economic
Empowerment of Adolescent Girls
and Young Women (AGYW) Project.
It is World Banks first project in
India solely focused on the welfare
of adolescent girls and young
women (AGYW) aged between 14
and 24 to complete their secondary
level education and provide relevant
skills for job market
About
It seeks to empower adolescent girls
with basic life skills to acquire
market driven skill training or
completion of secondary education,
depending on the inclination of the
beneficiary.
Its three main components are
Expanding social, educational and
economic opportunities: Support
AGYW to achieve greater social,
educational, and economic
empowerment at community level
and institutional level.
Intensive service delivery: It will
evaluate more intensive community-
level service delivery models focused
on increasing AGYWs access to
educational interventions, training
and employment opportunities
State capacity-building and
implementation support: It aims to
support strengthening of
institutional capacity and outreach
of concerned government agencies
to enable effective and efficient
delivery of services for AGYW in the
state.
Life skills education includes four
core elements: (i) Resilience and soft
skills (ii) Rights and protections (iii)
Health and nutrition. (iv) Financial
literacy.
The project is being delivered in 17
Districts of Jharkhand. About
680,000 adolescent girls and young
women in these districts are
expected to benefit from the
program.
Convention on Elimination of All forms
of Discrimiation against Women
Indias ratification of the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women,
comes burdened with conditions.
While ratifying the Convention, in
1993, India declared, With regard
to Articles 5 (a) and 16 (1) of the
31
 Convention the Government of
India declares that it shall abide by
and ensure these provisions in
conformity with its policy of non-
interference in the personal affairs
of any Community without its
initiative and consent.
About
Convention on the Elimination of
all Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW) is an
international treaty adopted in 1979
by the United Nations General
Assembly.
Described as an international bill of
rights for women, it was instituted
on 3 September 1981 and has been
ratified by 189 states.
Over fifty countries that have
ratified the Convention have done so
subject to certain declarations,
reservations, and objections,
including 38 countries who rejected
the enforcement article 29, which
addresses means of settlement for
disputes concerning the
interpretation or application of the
Convention.
The United States and Palau have
signed, but not ratified the treaty.
The Holy
See, Iran, Somalia, Sudan and Tong
a are not signatories to CEDAW.
Border haats
The government is mulling opening
more border haats (border
markets), encouraged by its success
at the India-Myanmar border.
About
The Border Haats aim at promoting
traditional system of marketing the
32
local produce through local markets
across the India-Bangladesh border.
It will help to improve economic
well-being of marginalised sections
in remote areas across along the
border.
The Border Haats allows to people
living in border areas to trade in
specified products in accordance
with the regulations agreed and
notified by both Governments.
Two border haats are located in
Meghalaya at Kalaichar and Balat
and two are located in Tripura at
Srinagar and Kamalasagar.
There are no border haats in
operation along the Bhutan and
Myanmar borders.
Currently four Border Haats are
operational, two each in Meghalaya
and Tripura, along the border. They
were established and
operationalized under the MoU and
MoO signed between Bangladesh
and India in 2010.
In addition to the four functional
border haats, Government of India
and Government of the Peoples
Republic of Bangladesh have
approved six more border haats-two
in Tripura at Palbasti and Kamalpur
and four in Meghalaya at Bholaganj,
Nalikata, Shibbari and Ryngku.
Government of India has also
executed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with
Government of the Republic of
Union of Myanmar on establishment
of border haats along their border.
 BunkarMitra announced at the time of the Union
Budget.
About The minimum deposit that needs to
BunkarMitra is the Government be made every year is Rs 1,000, and
of Indias Helpline for Handloom the maximum amount that can be
Weavers. deposited in a year is Rs 1,50,000.
The helpline was launched by the There is no limit on the number of
government on the occasion of deposits either in a month or in a
Good Governance Day on financial year.
December 25, 2016. The account will be valid for 21
The helpline provides a single point years from the date of opening, after
of contact to handloom weavers which it will mature and the money
across the country for addressing will be paid to the girl child in whose
queries and providing guidance. name the account had been opened.
Services that are available through If the account is not closed after
this helpline include- Assistance on maturity, the balance amount will
technical issues, Access to continue to earn interest as
marketing linkages and Information specified for the scheme from time
about various schemes and to time.
procedure to avail benefits. The account will also automatically
close if the girl child gets married
before the completion of the tenure
of 21 years.
Premature withdrawal
withdrawing money before the
PradhanMantriSukanyaSamriddhiYoja completion of the maturity period of
na (PMSSY) 21 years can only be made by the
girl child in whose name the
Along with the BetiBachao, account has been opened after she
BetiPadhao scheme, the government attains the age of 18 years.
also launched the The deposits made to the account,
SukanyaSamriddhi Account and also the proceeds and maturity
programme. amount would be fully exempted
About from tax under section 80C of the
Under the scheme, a parent or legal Income Tax Act.
guardian can open an account in
the name of the girl child until she Prelims facts
attains the age of ten years. "BetiBachao-BetiPadhao" scheme is
The account can be opened in any a joint initiative of Ministry of
post office branch and designated Women and Child Development,
public sector banks. Ministry of Health and Family
The rate of interest for the scheme is Welfare and Ministry of Human
an attractive 9.2 per cent which will Resource Development.
be compounded annually. This rate, The objectives of the scheme are:
however, will be revised every year 1. Preventing sex selective abortion
by the government and will be 2. Ensuring survival and protection
of a girl child

33
 3. Ensuring education of the girl
child
It cover the key elements of the
scheme including enforcement of
Pre-Conception & Pre Natal
Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT)
Act, awareness and advocacy
campaign and multi-sectoral action
in select 100 districts which are low
on Child Sex Ration (CSR).
In August 2016, Olympics 2016
bronze medallist Sakshi Malik was
made brand ambassador for BBBP.
Other important schemes for women
National Curriculum Framework
(NCF) 2005 prioritizes gender as an
important guiding principle in all
curricular areas and stipulates that
gender be an integral part of all
disciplines offered to children at
school stage
To encourage the participation of
girls at elementary level, the
SarvaShikshaAbhiyan (SSA)
provides for the opening of schools
in the neighborhood to make access
easier for girls, the appointment of
additional teachers including
women teachers, free textbooks, free
uniforms, separate toilets for girls,
teachers sensitization programmes
to promote girls participation,
gender-sensitive teaching learning
materials including textbooks and
the scheme of Kasturba Gandhi
BalikaVidyalayas as residential
upper primary schools for girls
belonging to SC/ST/Minority
Communities, BPL families and girls
in difficult circumstances.
Under the
RashtriyaMadyamikShikshaAbhiyan
(RMSA) interventions to promote
girls participation in secondary
schools include opening of new
schools, strengthening of existing
schools, appointment of teachers,
construction of residential quarters
for teachers in remote/hilly areas,
hostel facilities for girls, teacher
sensitization programmes, separate
toilet blocks for girls, stipend for
girls with disability and
vocationalization of secondary
education which provides for choice
of courses by the girls in such a
manner that gender stereotyping is
avoided.
National Scheme of Incentive to
Girls for Secondary Education
(NSIGSE), exemption from paying
tuition fee in KendriyaVidyalayas,
and 33% reservation for girls in
NavodayaVidyalayas, are also being
implemented.
Guidelines for Gender Champions in
Educational Institutions dated 3rd
June, 2015 issued by Ministry of
Women & Child Development, which
inter alia include promotion of
Gender Champion Clubs in
educational institutions.
PradhanMantriAwasYojana (PMAY)
Prime Minister ShriNarendraModi in
November 2016 formally launched Housing
for All in rural areas under which the
Government proposes to provide an
environmentally safe and secure pucca
house to every rural household by 2022.
About
PMAY was launched in June 2015.
The Government envisages building
affordable pucca houses with water
facility, sanitation and electricity
supply round-the-clock.
The scheme originally was meant to
cover people in the EWS (annual
income not exceeding 3 lakh) and
34
 LIG (annual income not exceeding
6 lakh) sections, but now covers
the mid-income group (MIG) as well
PradhanMantriAwaasYojana
(Gramin), in its first phase the target
is to complete one crore houses by
March 2019.
The unit cost for these houses has
been significantly increased and
now through convergence a
minimum support of nearly Rs. 1.5
lakh to Rs. 1.6 lakh to a household
is available. There is also a provision
of Bank loan uptoRs. 70,000/-, if
the beneficiary so desires.
The selection of beneficiaries has
been through a completely
transparent process using the Socio
Economic Census 2011 data and
validating it through the Gram
Sabha.
Details
PMAY-G is a major step forward in
bringing together Skill India, Digital
India, Make In India, IT/DBT
Aadhaar platform and
PradhanMantri Jan DhanYojana
(PMJDY).
The programme provides for skilling
5 lakh Rural Masons by 2019 and
allows over 200 different housing
designs across the country based on
a detailed study of housing
typologies, environmental hazards
and the households requirements.
A large scale use of local materials is
envisaged along with a complete
home with cooking space, electricity
provision, LPG, toilet and bathing
area, drinking water etc through
convergence. The programme targets
the poor households and uses ICT
and space technology to further
confirm correct selection of
beneficiaries and progress of work.
The entire payments are through
IT/DBT mode with Aadhaar linked
Bank accounts with consent, to
ensure complete transparency and
accountability. There is a provision
for orientation of beneficiaries.
A 45 days on site hands-on skill
training of Rural Masons helps poor
households to move up the skilling
ladder.
SansadAdarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)
About
SansadAdarsh Gram Yojana is a
rural development programme
broadly focusing upon the
development in the villages which
includes social development,
cultural development and spread
motivation among the people on
social mobilization of the village
community.
The programme was launched by
the Prime Minister NarendraModi on
the birth anniversary
of Jayaprakash Narayan, on 11
October 2014.
The distinct feature of this Yojana is
that it is (a) demand driven (b)
inspired by society (c) based on
people's participation.
SansadAdarsh Gram Yojana was
initiated to bring the member of
parliament of all the political parties
under the same umbrella while
taking the responsibility of
developing physical and institutional
infrastructure in villages and turn
them into model villages.
Under this scheme, each Member of
Parliament needs to choose one
village each from the constituency
that they represent, except their
own village or their in-laws village
35
 and fix parameters and make it a
model village by 2016.
Thereafter, they can take on two or
three more villages and do the same
by the time the next general
elections come along in 2019, and
thereafter, set themselves ten-year-
long village or rural improvement
projects. Villages will be offered
smart schools, universal access to
basic health facilities and Pucca
housing to homeless villagers.
No new funds are allocated to this
Yojana and funds may be raised
through :
Funds from existing schemes, such
as the Indira
AwasYojana, PradhanMantri Gram
SadakYojana, Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme, and Backward
Regions Grant Fund, etc.,
The Member of Parliament Local
Area Development Scheme
(MPLADS),
The gram panchayats own revenue,
Central and State Finance
Commission Grants, and
Corporate Social Responsibility
funds.
The Members of Parliament (MPs)
are the pivots this Scheme will run
on. Gram Panchayat would be the
basic unit for development.
It will have a population of 3000-
5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000
in hilly, tribal and difficult areas. In
districts where this unit size is not
available, Gram Panchayats
approximating the desirable
population size may be chosen.
RashtriyaVayoshriYojana
RashtriyaVayoshriYojana, a Scheme for
providing Physical Aids and Assistedliving
Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL
category was launched on 1st April, 2017.
About
The scheme will be distribute free of
cost physical aids and assisted-
living devices for senior citizens
belonging to BPL category.
It will be implemented through the
sole implementing agency Artificial
Limbs Manufacturing Corporation
(ALIMCO), a PSU under Union
Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment.
The eligible elderly beneficiary will
get devices such as walking sticks,
elbow crutches, walkers/crutches,
tripods/qadpods, hearing aids,
wheelchair, aificial Dentures and
Spectacles.
The devices will help the Senior
Citizens to overcome their age
related physical impairment and to
lead a dignified and productive life
with minimal dependence on care
givers or other members of the
family.
Beneficiaries will be identified by the
State Governments/UTs through a
Committee chaired by the Deputy
Commissioner/District Collector.
The Committee can utilize the data
of BPL beneficiaries receiving Old
Age Pension under the NSAP or any
other Scheme of the State/UTs for
identification of senior citizens
belonging to BPL category.
As far as possible, 30% of the
beneficiaries in each district shall be
women.
36
Prelims facts
As per the Census of 2011, there
are 10.38 crore senior citizens in the
country and 5.2% of them suffer
from some sort of old age-related
disability. It is projected that the
number of senior citizens will
increase to around 173 million by
2026.
More than 70% of the population of
senior citizens live in rural areas of
the country.
Draft Labor Code On Social Security &
Welfare
The government has proposed a
labour code which will provide social
security cover to
the entire workforce in the country,
including self-employed and
agricultural workers.
Features
Every working person in the country
will be covered under the social
security codewhether he/she
belongs to the organised sector or
the unorganised sector.
For the first time the government
has shown its intention to cover
agricultural workersalong with self-
employed people and target to
provide social security benefits to
45crore workers.
A National Social Security Council,
chaired by the Prime Minister, has
beenproposed to streamline and
make policy on social security
schemes related to all theMinistries.
Other members would include:
Finance Minister, Labour Minister,
Healthand Family Welfare Minister
along with employer and employees
representatives.
The council will co-ordinate between
central and State governments,
monitor theimplementation of social
security schemes, regulate funds
collected under various
social security schemes.
About
The proposed code seeks to cover
any factory, any mine, any
plantation, any shop,charitable
organisations and all
establishments or households
employing casual,part-time, fixed-
term, informal, apprentice, domestic
and home-based workers.
All such establishments or factories
will be liable to pay compensation if
they fail tocontribute towards the
social security schemes of the
workers.
The total contribution to be made by
employers towards Employees
Provident Fundand Employees
State Insurance Scheme is proposed
to be capped at 30% of theworkers
income.
At present, employers contribute
31.5% of the workers income
towards theseschemes.
According to the proposed code, self-
employed workers will contribute
20% of theirmonthly income
towards provident fund, pension
and other related schemes
Self-employed workers will also
include a person who takes land on
share cropping or any other form of
rent, and tills the same using his
own or family members labour.
All the entities whether factories or
households will have to register
their workers through an Aadhaar-
based registration system, according
to another proposal, and self-
employer workers will be required to
register themselves.
According to the proposed code,
social security benefits unclaimed
for five years after becoming due to
37
 the worker will be confiscated by the Accessible India
government. Campaign or Sugamya Bharat
Prelims facts Abhiyan is a program which is set
Employees' Provident Fund to be launched to serve
Organisation (abbreviated the differently-able community of
to EPFO), is an Organization tasked the country.
to assist the Central Board of The program comes with an index to
Trustees, a statutory body formed measure the design of disabled-
by the Employees' Provident Fund friendly buildings and human
and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, resource policies.
1952 and is under the . The initiative also in line with the
administrative control of Article 9 of UNCRPD(UN Convention
the Ministry of Labour and on the Rights of Persons with
Employment. Disabilities) to which India is a
EPFO assists the Central Board in signatory since 2007.
administering a compulsory The scheme also comes under
contributory Provident Fund Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995
Scheme, a Pension Scheme and an under section 44, 45, 46 for equal
Insurance Scheme for the workforce Opportunities and protection of
engaged in the organized sector in rights which provides non-
India. discrimination in Transport to
It is one of the largest social Persons with Disabilities
security organisations in India in According to the 2011 Census of
terms of the number of covered India, 2.21 per cent of the
beneficiaries and the volume of population or approximately 26.8
financial transactions undertaken. million Indians suffer from a
The EPFO's apex decision making disability.
body is the Central Board of The target is to make at least fifty
Trustees (CBT). percent government buildings
The total assets under management disabled friendly under the
are more than 8.5 lakh crore campaign in each of the state capital
(US$128 billion) as of 18 March and central capital till end of May
2016. 2018 and make 25 per cent of the
On 1 October 2014, Prime Minister public transport vehicles under
of government as disabled friendly till
India NarendraModi launched Unive mid 2017.
rsal Account Number for Employees A ''Sugamya Bharat'' mobile app
covered by EPFO to enable PF which provides information on
number portability. disabled-friendly public facilities in
a city, is also there under the
scheme.

Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan

38
 DeendayalUpadhyaya Gram The plans for each State/UT
JyotiYojana (DUGJY) envisions reduction of AT&C
losses by increasing the collection
About efficiency and effective metering
The project aims to provide 247 so as to achieve financially viable
uninterrupted electricity supply 247 Power Supply.
to each rural household across the It also emphasizes on the
country by 2022. development of transmission and
Major components of the scheme: sub transmission network which
o Strengthening of sub- plays vital role in providing round
transmission and distribution the clock power supply.
network,
o Feeder separation,
o Metering at all levels including at
input points, feeders and
distribution transformers.
It also seeks to strengthen Micro
grid and off grid distribution PradhanMantriSurakshitMatritvaAbhi
network of rural electrification. yan (PMSMA)
This scheme replaces Rajiv Gandhi
GrameenVidyutikaranYojana About
(RGGVY). With an aim to reduce maternal
and infant mortality, the
government has rolled out a new
scheme to provide fixed-day
antenatal care to pregnant women
24x7 Power for All on the ninth of every month.
The scheme is aimed at ensuring
About that every pregnant woman
`Power for All is a joint initiative undergoes essential checkups
of the Centre in collaboration during pregnancy to avoid
with State governments for supply unnecessary complication.
of quality and reliable 24 x 7 power Scheme is applicable to women
to agricultural, industrial and through their third to sixth month
domestic consumers. of pregnancy.
The scheme is aimed at addressing A key feature of the scheme includes
all the key aspects and activities to services by gynaecology specialists
be undertaken across generation, and physicians with support from
transmission and distribution, private sector doctors to
including achieving 100% supplement the efforts of the
household electrification. government sector.
The plan aims to provide each These services include ultrasound,
household access to electricity, blood and urine tests, in addition to
247 reliable power supply and routine antenatal check-up.
adequate supply to agricultural It also invites the private sector to
consumers as per state policy by provide free ante-natal services
2019. (ANC) on a voluntary basis to

39
 pregnant women, especially those
living in under-served, semi-urban,
poor and rural areas.
Prelims facts
Indias MMR of 167 (167 maternal
deaths per 100,000 births) failed to
meet its Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) target of bringing
down maternal deaths to under 140
by 2015.
Indias IMR stands at 40 deaths
per 1,000 live births, against an
MDG target of 29. Only 15 states
and UTs Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Delhi,
Lakshadweep, Puducherry,
Manipur, Maharashtra, Nagaland,
Tripura,
Sikkim and Punjab have achieved
an IMR of 29.
PradhanMantriKhanijKshetraKalyanYoja
na (PMKKKY)
PradhanMantriKhanijKshetraKalyan
Yojana (PMKKKY) has been
launched in September 2015 for the
welfare of tribals and other affected
persons in mining areas.
Under this scheme, the mining
companies will need to contribute
10 to 30% of royalty for welfare of
people directly or indirectly affected
by mining
Bharat ke Veer
It is a web portal and mobile
application launched recently on
the occasion of Valour Day of
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The portal is an IT based platform,
with an objective to enable willing
donors to contribute towards the
family of a braveheart who
sacrificed his/her life in line of
duty.
This website is technically
supported by National Informatics
Centre (NIC) and powered by State
Bank of India.
About
This domain allows anyone to
financially support the bravehearts
of his choice or towards the Bharat
Ke Veer corpus. The amount so
donated will be credited to the
account of Next of Kin of those
Central Armed Police Force/Central
Para Military Force soldiers.
To ensure maximum coverage, a cap
of 15 lakh rupees is imposed and
the donors would be alerted if the
amount exceeds, so that they can
choose to divert part of the donation
to another braveheart account or to
the Bharat Ke Veer corpus.
Bharat Ke Veer corpus would be
managed by a committee made up of
eminent persons of repute and
senior Government officials, who
would decide to disburse the fund
equitably to the bravehearts family
on need basis.
Prelims facts
The Valour Day is celebrated in
remembrance of an act of
unparalleled bravery displayed by a
small contingent of CRPF personnel,
pitted against a full-fledged infantry
brigade of Pakistani Army, trying to
overrun their post, at Sardar Post,
Rann of Kutch, Gujarat on April 09,
1965. They not only defeated the
Pakistani brigade but also killed 34
Pakistani soldiers and captured 4 of
them alive. The CRPF successfully
defended the post till the arrival of
40
 reinforcements. The saga of valour
of Sardar Post is a rich source of
inspiration to the officers and men
of CRPF and befittingly 9th April is
observed as the Valour Day
National Disaster Management Plan
(NDMP)
About
National Disaster Management
Plan (NDMP) is the first ever
national plan prepared in the
country.
The plan is based on the four
priority themes of the Sendai
Framework, namely:
o Understanding disaster risk
o Improving disaster risk
governance
o Investing in disaster risk reduction
o Disaster preparedness, early
warning and building back better in
the
aftermath of a disaster.
It provides for horizontal and
vertical integration among all the
agencies and departments of the
Government.
The plan also spells out the roles
and responsibilities of all levels of
Government right up to
Panchayat and Urban local body
level in a matrix format.
It also identifies major activities
such as early warning, information
dissemination, medical care, fuel,
transportation, search and rescue,
evacuation, etc. to serve as a
checklist for agencies responding
to a disaster.
To prepare communities to cope
with disasters, it emphasises on a
greater need for Information,
Education and Communication
activities.
It even calls for ethical guidelines
for the media for coverage of
disasters as well as self
regulation. The plan wants the
media to respect the dignity and
privacy of affected people.
In a move aimed to stop rumours
and spread of panic, the plan
directed the authorities to schedule
regular media briefing (depending
on the severity of the disaster) and
designate a nodal officer for
interacting with the media on
behalf of the government.
Prelims facts
Sendai Framework for Disaster
Risk Reduction (2015-2030) is an
international document which was
adopted by UN member states in
March 2015 at the World
Conference on Disaster Risk
Reduction held
in Sendai, Japan and endorsed by
the UN General Assembly in June
2015.
It is the successor agreement to
the Hyogo Framework for Action
(20052015), which had been the
most encompassing international
accord to date on disaster risk
reduction.
41
42
Industrial Sector
About
DeendayalAntyodayaYojana National
Rural Livelihoods Mission
About
DeendayalAntyodayaYojana
National Rural Livelihoods Mission
(DAY - NRLM) is a flagship rural
poverty reduction program of
Ministry of Rural Development
launched nationwide with the
objective of social mobilization,
financial inclusion and
sustainable livelihoods
promotion.
It aims at creating efficient and
effective institutional platforms for
the rural poor enabling them to
increase household income
through sustainable livelihood
enhancements and improved access
to financial services.
One of the major focus areas of DAY
NRLM is promotion of existing
livelihood portfolios of the rural poor
in farm and non-farm sectors.
Upgradation and sharing of
knowledge on agricultural
practices for sustainable income is
therefore, considered a valuable
input for poverty alleviation and
higher income generation.
DAY NRLM recognizes the
importance of achieving the post-
2015 agenda and Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), as well
as other global priorities, that relate
to rural poverty reduction,
sustainable rural livelihoods, rural
employment, social protection, good
governance and gender equality.
PradhanMantriAwaasYojana (Urban)
The scheme was launched in June
2015 and envisages Housing for All
by 2022.
It involves building of more than
two crore houses in a span of seven
years.
The beneficiaries are people living
under Economically Weaker
Sections (EWS) and Low Income
Groups (LIG) categories in the
country.
The scheme is divided into three
phases:
In the first phase, a total of 100
cities will be covered from April
2015 to March 2017.
In phase two, 200 cities will be
covered from April 2017 to March
2019.
In the third phase, the leftover cities
will be covered from April 2019 to
March 2022.
The government is providing an
interest subsidy of 6.5% on
housing loans which can be availed
by beneficiaries for 15 years from
start of loan date.
The government will grant Rs 1 lakh
to all the beneficiaries of the
scheme. In addition, Rs 1.5 lakh will
be given to all eligible urban poor
who want to construct their houses
in urban areas or plan to go for
renovation in their existing houses.
One can also avail loans under this
scheme to build toilets in existing
houses.
The Mission seeks to address the
housing requirement of urban poor
43
 including slum dwellers through The policy envisages the
following programme verticals: achievement of crude steel capacity
Slum rehabilitation of Slum of 300 million tonnes (MT),
Dwellers with participation of production of 255 million tonnes
private developers using land as a (MT) and a robust finished steel per
resource. capita consumption of 158 Kgs by
Promotion of Affordable Housing for 2030 31. At present the current
weaker section through credit consumption is 61kgs.
linked subsidy. The policy aims to meet the entire
Affordable Housing in Partnership demand of high-grade automotive
with Public & Private sectors steel, electrical steel, special steels
Subsidy for beneficiary-led and alloys for strategic applications
individual house through adequate local production.
construction/enhancement It aims to increase domestic
availability of washed coking coal in
order to reduce import dependence
on coking coal from about 85% to
National Steel Policy 2017 around 65% by 2030-31.
Cabinet has given its approval All the government tenders would
for National Steel Policy (NSP) 2017 give preference to domestically
to give impetus to the steel sector. manufactured iron and steel
The policy aims to enhance domestic products.
steel consumption and transform The domestic manufacturers who
Indian steel industry into a import raw materials or
technologically advanced and intermediate products will be able to
globally competitive steel industry. claim the benefits of the domestic
The new policy favours the procurement provision if they add a
domestic manufacturers. minimum of 15% value to the
Features product.
Policy aims to create self-sufficiency R&D in the steel sector would be
in steel production by providing carried out through the
policy support and guidance to establishment of Steel Research and
private manufacturers, MSME steel Technology Mission of India
producers, CPSEs (SRTMI).
Encourages adequate capacity Prelims facts
additions and promote the India is the third largest producer of
development of globally competitive steel globally.
steel manufacturing capabilities. The steel sector is contributing to
Facilitates foreign investment and about 2% of the countrys
aims to enhance the domestic steel GDP. India had produced 100
demand. Million Tonnes (MT) of steel in 2016-
Promote cost-efficient production. 17.
Aims to ensure the domestic Though the National Steel Policy
availability of iron ore, coking coal & 2005 charted out a roadmap for the
natural gas and other raw materials sustained and efficient growth of the
at competitive prices. Indian steel industry, the recent
Highlights changes in the economic order calls

44
 for a new national policy.
Project Development Fund
Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime
Minister ShriNarendraModi has given its
approval to create a Project Development
Fund (PDF) with a corpus of Rs 500 Crore
for catalysing Indian economic presence in
the Cambodia, Laos Myanmar and Vietnam.
About
CLMV countries namely Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam have a
unique position in the regional value
chains and offer a gateway for
market access to China/EU and
other markets due to various trade
agreements.
The key advantage of positioning
India on the regional value chains is
securing on a long term basis, a
dedicated market for Indian raw
materials and intermediate goods
besides a dedicated source for
inputs and raw materials for Indian
industry.
While opportunities are a plenty in
CLMV region, Indian entrepreneurs'
endeavors in these countries have,
thus far, been limited due to limited
information, infrastructure and
other contingent risks.
The PDF shall benefit India's
industrial community for business
expansion, and to maintain cost
competitive supply chains, besides
integrating with global production
networks.
Global Maritime Energy Efficiency
Partnership project
As per the report on Rapid
Assessment of Indias maritime
energy efficiency, prepared as part of
Indias commitment to the Global
maritime energy efficiency
partnerships (GloMEEP) project, the
CO2 emissions from ships registered
in India are approximately 4.75
million tonnes for the year 2016
when operating in Indian waters.
About
GloMEEP is a GEF-UNDP-IMO
project aimed at supporting the
uptake and implementation of
energy efficiency measures for
shipping, thereby reducing
greenhouse gas emissions from
shipping.
The GloMEEP Project is being
executed by a dedicated Project
Coordination Unit (PCU) established
within the Marine Environment
Division of IMO. IMO is a specialized
agency responsible for safe, secure
and efficient shipping and the
prevention of pollution from ships.
GloMEEP supports ten Lead Pilot
Countries of the project to
implement these measures, through:
1. Legal, policy and institutional
reforms
2. Awareness raising and capacity-
building activities
3. Establishment of public-private
partnerships to encourage
technology transfer
The Lead Pilot Countries (LPCs) of
the GloMEEP project are: Argentina,
China, Georgia, India, Jamaica,
Malaysia, Morocco, Panama,
Philippines and South Africa.
India is one of the 10 Lead Pilot
Countries (LPC) in International
Maritime Organization (IMO)s
45
 GloMEEP project. The project The Project aims at creating core
component includes Maritime global competencies in
Energy Efficiency Capacity Building automotive sector in India.
and Public-Private Partnerships Position the country prominently on
(PPP) to catalyze maritime sector the global automotive map.
Energy Efficiency Innovation,
Research & Development and
Technology Deployment, which
primarily aims to catalyse the
involvement of private sector in
maritime sector energy efficiency Vision Zero
activities in developing countries
through knowledge sharing, The international conference on the VISION
international forums and ZERO and its relevance to Occupational
collaborative pilot efforts in Safety and Health (OSH), is being organized
technology assessment and from 15th to 17th, March 2017 at
deployment. VigyanBhavan, New Delhi.
About
The conference aims to focus on the
Occupational Safety and Health
issues and challenges in the
National Automotive Testing and R&D Manufacturing, Construction and
Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) Mining sector.
The conference will provide a forum
About for promoting safety and health at
National Automotive Testing and work by exchanging knowledge,
R&D Infrastructure Project practices and experience.
(NATRiP), is the largest and one of The conference is to introduce the
the most significant initiatives in fast emerging internationally
automotive sector so far. accepted concept of Vision Zero in
It represents a unique joining of India thereby leveraging the efforts
hands between the Government of of the Government of India to raise
India, a number of State the occupational safety and health
Governments and Indian standards in the country.
Automotive Industry to create a
state of the art Testing,
Validation and R&D infrastructure
in the country.
NATRIP project is required to adopt
global best practices to ensure road
Mission Fingerling
safety, environmental protection etc
in design, manufacture, testing and Union Ministry of Agriculture has
operation of motor vehicles in India launched Mission Fingerling, a
India is signatory to UN Regulation programme to enable holistic
on Harmonisation of Vehicle development and management of
Specifications under WP-29 of fisheries sector in India with a total
1998.

46
 expenditure of about Rs. 52000
lakh.
The mission aims to achieve the
target to enhance fisheries
production from 10.79 mmt (2014-
15) to 15 mmt by 2020-21 under the
Blue Revolution.
About
Government has identified 20 States
based on their potential and other
relevant factors to strengthen the
Fish Fingerling production and Fish
Seed infrastructure in the country.
This program will facilitate the
establishment of Fingerling rearing
pond and hatcheries to ensure the
fish production of 426 crores fish
fingerling, 25.50 crores Post Larvae
of shrimp and crab in the country.
This will converge in the production
of 20 lakh tonnes of fish annually,
which will inturn benefit about 4
million families.
The implementation of this program
will supplement the requirement of
stocking materials in the country up
to a large extent, which is a much
needed input to achieve the
enhanced fish production.
Prelims facts
Blue Revolution aims to recognize
the potential and possibilities in the
fisheries sector of the country by
unlocking countrys latent potential
through an integrated approach.
In its scope and reach, it focuses on
creating an enabling environment
for integrated and holistic
development and management of
fisheries for socio economic
development of fishers and fish
farmers.
It gives greater emphasis to
infrastructure with an equally
strong focus on management and
conservation of the resources
through technology transfer to
increase in the income of the fishers
and fish farmers.
It also seeks to achieve productivity
enhancement by employing best
global innovations and integration of
various production oriented
activities viz. production of quality
fish seeds, cost effective feed and
adoption of technology etc.
USTTAD scheme
About
USTTAD stands for upgrading the
Skills & Training in Traditional
Arts/Crafts for Development.
It was launched by the Union
Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The scheme aims at preserving and
promoting the rich heritage of the
traditional arts & crafts of the
Minority communities.
In the light of globalisation &
competitive market, these crafts
have gradually lost their
employability.
It also envisages at boosting the
skill of craftsmen, weavers and
artisans who are already engaged in
the traditional ancestral work.
The scheme, which will be funded
by the Central Government, will
prepare skilled and unskilled
artisans and craftsmen to compete
with big companies
HunarHaath
About
It is being organized by the Minority
Affairs Ministry to encourage,
47
 promote and provide national and
international market to master
artisans/craftsmen belonging to
the Minority communities from
across the country.
HunarHaat is being organized
through National Minorities
Development & Finance Corporation
(NMDFC) under USTTAD (Upgrading
the Skills & Training in Traditional
Arts/Crafts for Development)
scheme of M
Make in India
About
Department of Industrial Policy and
Promotion have informed that the
Make in India initiative
launched on 25th September, 2014
aims at promoting India as a
important investment destination
and a global bub in manufacturing,
design and innovation.
It is not a specific scheme but a
broader nation building initiative to
create a conducive environment for
investment, development of modern
and efficient infrastructure, opening
up new sectors for foreign
investment and forging
partnership between Government
and industry through a positive
mind set.
At present, India ranks 130th in the
world banks annual Doing Business
Report (DBR), 2017
against 131st rank (revised) in the
Doing Business Report, 2016
Budget provisions
Several measures have been
announced in the Budget 2017-18 to
provide impetus to commerce and
industry . The key initiatives include
1. A Special Scheme for creating
employment in leather and footwear
industries is proposed to be
implemented, on the lines of the
scheme in textile and apparel sector.
2. The long standing demand of
startups has been accepted and the
profit (linked deduction) exemption
available to them for 3 years out of 5
years is changed to 3 years out of 7
years. For the purpose of carry
forward of losses in respect of start-
ups, the condition of continuous
holding of 51% of voting rights has
been relaxed subject to the
condition that the holding of the
original promoter/promoters
continues.
3. Further liberalisation of FDI
policy is under consideration and
the Foreign Investment Promotion
Board (FIPB) to be abolished in
2017-18.
4. In order to make MSME
companies more viable, income tax
for companies with annual turnover
uptoRs. 50 crore is reduced to 25%.
About 96% of companies will get
this benefit of lower taxation. This
will make our MSME sector more
a competitive as compared to large
companies.
5. MAT credit is allowed to be
carried forward up to a period of 15
years instead of 10 years at present.
6. For creating an eco-system to
as make India a global hub for
electronics manufacturing a
provision of Rs. 745 crores in 2017-
18 in incentive schemes like M-SIPS
and EDF. The incentives and
allocation has been exponentially
increased following the increase in
number of investment proposals.
48
7. Inverted duty has been rectified in 12. A new and restructured
several products in the chemicals & Central scheme with a focus on
petrochemicals, textiles, metals, export infrastructure, namely, Trade
renewable energy sectors. Duty Infrastructure for Export Scheme
changes to improve domestic (TIES) will be launched in 2017-18.
manufacturing of medical devices, 13. The Government e-market place
those used for digital transactions which is now functional for
and capital goods have also been procurement of goods and services,
announced. has been selected as one of the
8. Infrastructure a key pillar under winners of the South Asia
the Make in India programme has Procurement Innovation Awards of
been strengthened with a large the World Bank.
budgetary allocation. The total
allocation for infrastructure Prelims facts
development in 2017-18 stands at The Make in India programme aims
Rs. 3,96,135crores. A specific at promoting India as an important
programme for development of investment destination and a global
multi-modal logistics parks, together hub for manufacturing, design and
with multi modal transport facilities, innovation. The Make in India
to be drawn up and implemented. initiative does not target
9. Tourism is a big employment manufacturing sector alone, but
generator and has a multiplier also aims at promoting
impact on the economy. Incredible entrepreneurship in the country.
India 2.0 is proposed to be launched The following 25 sectors have been
to promote tourism and identified under the Make in India
employment. Five Special Tourism initiative :
Zone, anchored on SPVs in 1. Auto Components
partnership with the States would 2. Automobiles
be set up. 3. Aviation
10. Modernisation and upgradation of 4. Biotechnology
identified corridor, railway lines of 5. Chemicals
3,500 kms will be commissioned, 25 6. Construction
stations are expected to be awarded 7. Defence Manufacturing
for station redevelopment and 500 8. Electrical Machinery
stations will be made differently 9. Electronic System Design and
abled friendly by providing lifts and Manufacturing
escalatorsduring 2017-18. These 10. Food Processing
provide large opportunities under 11. IT and BPM
the Make in India initiative 12. Leather
11. Initiatives in Skill Development 13. Media and Entertainment
provide essential support for the 14. Mining
Make in India sectors to thrive. 15. Oil and Gas
Launch of SANKALP scheme to 16. Pharmaceuticals
provide market relevant training to 17. Ports
3.5 crore youth and STRIVE scheme 18. Railways
to improve the quality and market 19. Roads and Highways
relevance of vocational training. 20. Renewable Energy

49
 21. Space An overall network of about 56,000
22. Textiles km has been identified including
23. Thermal Power existing national corridors (Golden
24. Tourism and Hospitality Quadrilateral and NS-EW
25. Wellness Corridor)), proposed economic
corridors, inter corridor routes and
feeder routes.
Integrated, Multi Modal Logistics and In addition to this 191 towns/ cities
Transport Policy have been identified on these routes
The three day India Integrated where steps will to be taken to
Transport and Logistics Summit reduce congestion. Inter-state
(IITLS) organized by the Ministry of border movement related
Road Transport and Highways in documentation and procedure will
New Delhi in May. also be simplified.
The government is working towards These interventions will enable a
formulating an integrated, multi reduction of 5 6% in the overall
modal logistics and transport supply chain costs in the economy.
policy which will reduce logistics Logistics Parks will help
costs in the country by nearly half, reduce transportation cost for the
making Indian products more top 15 nodes by about 10 percent,
competitive. besides reducing pollution,
The strategy would be to adopt a congestion and warehousing costs.
hub-and spoke model for the Chennai and Vijayawada have
logistics sector in place of the already identified land parcels for
present point-to-point model. development of logistics parks.
Details This is the first time ever that the
The integrated policy would include development of the transport sector
construction of 50 is being done in such an integrated
Economic Corridors and upgrading manner. The plan would serve to
key feeder and inter corridor routes make the economy competitive by
to improve overall efficiency of reducing logistics costs, bring down
freight movement. pollution levels by reducing
The plan also includes developing congestion on roads, give a boost to
35 multimodal logistics parks to industry and create employment.
serve as centres for freight
aggregation and distribution,
multimodal transportation, storage
and warehousing and value added
services.
In addition, there are also plans to Trade Infrastructure for Export
construct 10 Inter-Modal Stations Scheme
which integrate various
transportation modes like rail, road, Union Ministry of Commerce &
mass rapid transit system, bus Industry has launched Trade
rapid transit (BRT), auto-rickshaw, Infrastructure for Export Scheme for
taxi and private vehicles. developing export linked

50
 infrastructure in states with a view
to promoting outbound shipments.
It seeks to bridge the critical
infrastructure gap and provide
forward and backward linkages to
units engaged in trade activities
About
Objective: Enhance export
competitiveness by bridging the gap
in export infrastructure, which has
not been addressed by any other
scheme. It would focus on projects
like customs checkpoints, last mile
connectivity, border haats and
integrated check posts.
All central and state agencies
including Commodities Boards,
Export Promotion Councils, SEZ
authorities and Apex Trade Bodies
recognised under EXIM policy of
Central Government are eligible for
financial support.
The cost of projects will be equally
shared by the Centre and the states
in form of grant-in-aid. In normal
cases centre will borne 50% of the
total equity in the project. For
projects located in north-eastern
and the Himalayan region states,
Centre may bear 80% of the cost.
Projects leveraging of funds from
bank financing will be promoted. It
will not include recurring costs of
land and operating & maintenance
costs to be met through pay and use
charges. Priority will be given to the
projects involving significant
contribution by the implementing
agency and bank financing for
achieving financial closure.
An inter-ministerial empowered
committee will sanction and monitor
the projects. It will be headed by the
commerce secretary.
Saksham 2017
Saksham 2017
(SanrakshanKshamtaMahotsav) is aimed
to create awareness amongst masses
towards judicious utilization and
conservation of petroleum products
along with use of energy efficient
appliances and switching to cleaner
fuels.
About
The programme is being organized
by PCRA (Petroleum Conservation
Research Association) and other
Oil & Gas PSUs under the aegis of
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural
Gas.
It is a month long awareness
programme. During one-month long
drive, workshops will be held for
drivers of commercial vehicles and
housewives,cooks on adopting
simple fuel saving measures
It also aims to educate on various
steps for fuel conservation
through activities like Quiz Show,
Saksham Asian Cycling
Championship, Walkathons,
concerts and other activities across
the country.
Urja Ganga
Urja Ganga is the highly ambitious
gas pipeline project in Varanasi.
The gas pipeline project aims to
provide piped cooking (PNG) gas to
residents of the eastern region of the
country and CNG gas for the
vehicles.
The project is being implemented
by state-run gas utility GAIL.
It envisages laying a 2,050-km
pipeline connecting Jagdishpur (UP)
to Haldia (West Bengal) by 2018.
51
 From Varanasis perspective, 50,000
households and 20,000 vehicles will
get cleaner and cheaper fuel PNG
and CNG gas respectively.
The project is considered as a major
step towards collective growth and
development of the Eastern region of
India
National Apprenticeship Promotion
Scheme
About
The main objective of the scheme is
to promote apprenticeship training
and to increase the engagement of
apprentices from present 2.3 lakh to
50 lakh cumulatively by 2020.
NAPS is implemented by Director
General of Training (DGT) under
the aegis of Union Ministry of
Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
Under the scheme, the Ministry of
Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship will share 25%
of the total stipend payable to an
apprentice with employers.
The government will also fund
50% of the total expenditure
incurred by the employer in
providing basis training to
apprentices.
All transactions including
registration by employers,
apprentices, registration of contract
and payment to employers will be
made in online mode.
This scheme will cover all categories
of apprentices except the Graduate,
Technician and Technician
(Vocational) apprentices which are
covered by the scheme administered
by Ministry of Human Resource
Development.
The National Policy of Skill
Development and
Entrepreneurship, 2015 focuses on
apprenticeship as one of the key
components for creating skilled
manpower in India.
PradhanMantriYuvaYojana
The Ministry of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship has launched
PradhanMantriYuvaYojanato scale
up an ecosystem of
entrepreneurship for youngsters.
Highlights
The scheme spans over five years
(2016-17 to 2020-21) with a project
cost of Rs 499.94 crore.
It will provide entrepreneurship
education and training to over 7
lakh students in 5 years through
3,050 institutes.
It will also include easy access to
information and mentor network,
credit, incubator and accelerator
and advocacy to create a pathway
for the youth.
The institutes under the PMs
YuvaYojana include 2,200 institutes
of higher learning (colleges,
universities, and premier institutes),
300 schools, 500 ITIs and 50
entrepreneurship development
centres through Massive Open
Online Courses (MOOCs)
Indian Institute of Skills
Aimed at making India the Skill Capital of
the World, Prime Minister NarendraModi
laid foundation stone of the countrys first
Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) at Kanpur.
52
 UDAAN
About
The IIS was conceptualised by Modi About
during his visit to Singapores The programme aims to provide
Institute of Technical Education. skills training and enhance the
The institute is being opened by the employability of unemployed
Skill Development Ministry in youth of J&K.
partnership with the Institute of The key stakeholders are Ministry of
Technical Education, Singapore. Home Affairs (MHA), State
The Ministry has decided to have Government (Jammu & Kashmir),
six such institutes Corporates and National Skill
Development Corporation (NSDC)

PravasiKaushalVikasYojana (PKVY)

Prime Minister NarendraModi, on the

sidelines of the 14th PravasiBharatiya Start-up India Scheme
Divas Convention, has announced a
scheme to skill Indian youth seeking jobs About
abroad- PravasiKaushalVikasYojana It aims at fostering
(PKVY). entrepreneurship and promoting
innovation by creating an
About ecosystem that is conducive for
The programme is aimed at growth of Start-ups.
boosting the confidence of the According to the scheme, a start up
Indian youth so that they dont feel is an entity that is head quartered in
like strangers when they land in a India which was opened less than
country of their choice for vocation. five years ago and has an annual
PKVY will train and certify turnover less than 25 crore
Indians, who are keen on overseas Start-up profits to be tax-free for 3
employment in select sectors, in line years and also no labour
with international standards. inspections for 3 years of launch
It will be implemented by the of the venture.
National Skill Development Tax exemption to be provided on
Corporation through its training capital gains if money is invested in
partners and in consultation with another start up.
the Ministry of External Affairs Compliance regime based on self-
and the Skill Development certification for labour and
Ministry. environmental laws. Easy exit
policy for start-ups with 90 days.
Liberalised Fast-track mechanism
for start-up patent applications
under intellectual property rights
protection with 80% cost rebate.

53
 Credit Guarantee Fund for start
ups through Small Industries
Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
The initiative is also aimed at
promoting entrepreneurship among
SCs/STs, women communities.
Merchandise Export from India
Scheme (MEIS)
About
Merchandise Exports from India
Scheme (MEIS) under Foreign
Trade Policy of India (FTP 2015-
20) is one of the two schemes
introduced in Foreign Trade Policy
of India 2015-20.
MEIS is a major export promotion
scheme of GOI implemented by the
Ministry of Commerce and
Industry.
Objective of MEIS is to offset
infrastructural inefficiencies and
associated costs involved in export
of goods/products, which are
produced/ manufactured in India,
especially those having high export
intensity, employment potential
and thereby enhancing Indias
export competitiveness.
Incentives u n d e r MEIS are
available to units located in SEZs
also.
The reward/incentives provided by
the Government makes the
exporters competitive in the
international market including
Europe, The United States of
America and Africa.
PanditDeendayalUpadhyayShramevJa
yateYojana (PDUSJY)
PanditDeendayalUpadhyay Shramev
JayateKaryakram was launched in
October 2014 by Government of
India.
Objective of this scheme is to create
conducive environment for
industrial development and doing
business with ease and also
expanding government support to
impart skill training for workers.
This is an umbrella scheme with five
scheme under it as follows:
1. ShramSuvidha Portal
A dedicated ShramSuvidha Portal
has been launched to allot Labour
Identification Number (LIN) to nearly
6 lakh units and allow them to file
online compliance for 16 out of 44
labour laws.
2. Random Inspection Scheme
The process of labour inspection has
been generally opaque and the units
for inspection were so far selected
locally without any objective criteria.
The government has brought a new
all India Random Inspection Scheme
to bring in transparency in the
labour inspection.
3. Universal Account Number
Under this scheme, complete
information for approximately 4.17
crore subscribers of EPF has been
centrally compiled and digitized and
a UAN has been allotted to all.
The UAN is being seeded with Bank
account and Aadhar Card and other
KYC details for financial inclusion of
vulnerable section of society and
their unique identification.
4. Apprentice ProtsahanYojana
The Apprentices Act 1961 was
enacted for regulating the
Apprenticeship Training Scheme in
the industry for imparting on-the-
job training to apprentices.
Presently, there are only 2.82 lakh
54
 apprentices undergoing training Apprentices and the Establishments
against 4.9 lakh seats. ready to participate in this scheme
Apprenticeship Scheme has huge from various states will be invited
potential for training the large and it is proposed that Prime
number of young persons to make Minister will give sanction letters to
them employable. If properly these to mark the launch of the new
revamped, it could also significantly scheme
contribute to Make in India
Mission.
. Present framework tightly
regulates the number of apprentices
trade-wise, and is not attractive to
youth because of low rate of stipend.
Further the industry is averse to
participate because the scheme is
not viable for the small industries.
There are a large number of
establishments including MSMEs
where training facilities are available
but could not be utilized so far.
A major initiative has been
undertaken to revamp the
apprenticeship Scheme in India
after extensive consultation with
industry, states and other
stakeholders with the vision of
increasing apprenticeship seats to
more than 20 lakhs in next few
years.
Apprentice ProtsahanYojana which
will support manufacturing units
mainly and other establishments by
reimbursing 50% of the stipend paid
to apprentices during first two years
of their training.
Basic training component (mainly
class room training part) of the
curricula is being restructured on
scientific principles to make it more
effective, and MSMEs will be
supported financially by permitting
this component in government
funded SDI scheme.
The Apprentice
ProtsahanYojana will support one
lakh apprentices during the period
upto March 2017. Selected

55
Governance sector
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a

campaign by the Government of
India to clean the streets, roads and
VIKALP scheme infrastructure of the country's 4,041
statutory cities and towns.
The Indian Railways will roll out a new It includes ambassadors and
Vikalp scheme on April 1, under which activities such as run, national real-
wait-listed passengers can get an option to time monitoring or spread of
travel in premium trains like Shatabdi and updated NGOs practices.
Rajdhani. The campaign was officially
launched on 2 October 2014
About
at Rajghat, New Delhi, by Honorable
Under the new reservation scheme Prime Minister NarendraModi. It is
called 'Vikalp', or alternate train India's largest ever cleanliness drive
accommodation scheme (ATAS), with 3 million government
passengers who have booked tickets employees, and especially school
in other mail or express trains, can and college students from all parts
avail the option of travelling in of India, participating in the
premium trains to their booked campaign.
destinations with no extra cost.
The objectives of Swachh Bharat are
From April 1, those with wait-listed to reduce or eliminate open
train tickets will get an option of defecation through the construction
selecting a "Vikalp", an alternative of individual, cluster and
choice of any other train on the community toilets.
same route, if the original ticket
The Swachh Bharat mission will
does not get confirmed on the day of
also make an initiative of
the journey.
establishing an accountable
Known as 'Vikalp', the alternative
mechanism of monitoring latrine
train accommodation scheme aims use.
to utilise vacant berths in many
The government is aiming to achieve
premier trains including Rajdhani,
an Open-Defecation Free (ODF)
Shatabdi, Duronto and other special
India by 2 October 2019, the 150th
service such as Suvidha trains in all
anniversary of the birth of Mahatma
major routes.
Gandhi, by constructing 12 million
toilets in rural India.
After introduction of flexi-fare
system in premier trains, some
berths were going vacant while at
the same time many passengers
could not be accommodated in other
Mail/Express trains due to huge Smart Cities Mission
demand.
About
It was launched in 2014, around
100 cities in the country will be
developed.

56
 Bottom-up approach has been the
key planning principle under Smart
City Mission.
These cities will be developed to
have basic infrastructure through
assured water and power supply,
sanitation and solid waste
management, efficient urban
mobility and public transport, IT
connectivity, e-governance and
citizen participation.
The mission will provide central
funding of Rs 48,000 crore to the
selected cities for improving their
infrastructure and service delivery
through application of better
technology and e-governance.
States and Urban local Bodies
(ULBs) will play a key supportive
role in the development of Smart
Cities.
The implementation of the Mission
at the City level will be done by a
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)
created for the purpose.
The SPV will plan, appraise,
approve, release funds, implement,
manage, operate, monitor and
evaluate the Smart City
development projects.
Each smart city will have a SPV
which will be headed by a full
time CEO and have nominees of
Central Government, State
Government and ULB on its Board.
Japan has decided to be associated
with the development of Chennai,
Ahmedabad and Varanasi as smart
cities.
So far, leading countries have come
forward to be associated with
development of 15 smart cities.
These include
a. United States Trade Development
Agency (USTDA) Visakhapatnam,
Ajmer and Allahabad,
b. UK-Pune, Amaravati(Andhra
Pradesh) and Indore,
c. France-Chandigarh, Puducherry
and Nagpur and
d. Germany Bhubaneswar,
Coimbatore and Kochi.
AsliTarakki
About
It is a new campaign for Swachh
Bharat Mission launched by the
Ministry of Urban Development.
It is aimed at sanitising six cities
of the National Capital Region
(NCR).
Further, it will be replicated in other
States if it succeeds.
About 450 young men and women
with communication skills and
leadership qualities have been
selected as lead motivators to
spread awareness on Swachh
Bharat Mission.
JalKrantiAbhiyan
About
JalKrantiAbhiyan was launched on
June 05, 2015 to consolidate water
conservation and management in
the country through a holistic and
integrated approach.
One of the main objectives of the
JalKrantiAbhiyan is strengthening
grass root involvement of all
stakeholders including Panchayati
Raj institutions and local bodies for
Participatory Irrigation
Management.
There are four important
components of JalKrantiAbhiyan
viz.
o Jal Gram Yojana,
o Development of Model Command
Area,
57
 o Pollution Abatement
o Mass Awareness Programme.
Under Jal Gram Yojana, two water
stressed villages in each district
of the country are to be selected
and a comprehensive water security
plan is formulated to achieve water
security for these villages.
So far 726 such villages have been
identified against the total target of
828
Smart Ganga City Scheme
The Union Government has launched the
first phase of Smart Ganga City
programme in 10 cities located along
River Ganga.
About
Under this programme, Sewage
Treatment Plants (STPs) and
improve drainage network will be
set up on hybrid annuity mode on
public private partnership basis.
Insurance cover for Rail Passengers
The railways has launched a scheme
allowing a person to get an
insurance cover of uptoRs 10 lakh
on booking a train ticket online
by paying less than one rupee.
The facility is reserved for
passengers of Indian Railways
who book e-ticket, excluding
suburban trains, through its official
website, irrespective of the class
of the ticket.
The cover will not be applicable for
children upto 5 years of age and
foreign citizens.
The scheme is being implemented
by IRCTC in partnership with
ICICI Lombard General Insurance,
Royal Sundaram General
Insurance and Shriram General
Insurance
The scheme is also applicable for
Vikalp trains, short termination
and diverted route.

YatriMitraSeva

It is an initiative of railways to
improve the railway travel
Civil Aviation Policy
experience of elderly, differently-
The new policy aims at providing various
abled and ailing passengers.
benefits to domestic airline passengers.
It aims to simplify access to
wheelchairs, battery operated cars
About
and porter services.
The Policy aims at:
The scheme will be operational at all
India to become 3rd largest civil
major railway stations.
aviation market by 2022 from
The Indian Railway Catering and
9th.
Tourism Corporation Ltd. has been
Domestic ticketing to grow from 8
entrusted with implementing
crore in 2015 to 30 crore by 2022.
services

58
 Airports having scheduled
commercial flights to increase from One MP One Idea
77 in 2016 to 127 by 2019.
Cargo volumes to increase by 4 One MP-One Idea Scheme
times to 10 million tonnes by 2027. announced by the Ministry of
Enhancing ease of doing business Statistics and Programme
through deregulation, simplified Implementation under the Member
procedures and e-governance. of Parliament Local Area
Promoting Make in India in Civil Development Scheme (MPLADS).
Aviation Sector About
Ensuring availability of quality Advocating a grass-root bottoms-
certified 3.3 lakh skilled personnel up approach to innovation and
by 2025. development
Arriving at solutions for local
Details problems which are sustainable
Capping of fare: Rs 1,200 for 30 and scalable
minutes and Rs 2,500 for hourlong One MP One Idea Competition
flights. may be held in each LokSabha
A single window for all aviation constituency in a year in which 3
related transactions, complaints, best innovative ideas from the
etc. local people on development
5/20 rule scrapped. Under the new projects will be awarded cash prizes
rules, airlines must still have 20 Prelims facts
planes before they can fly MPLADS is a centrally-sponsored
internationally, but no longer need plan scheme fully funded by the
to have operated for five years. government of India under which
2% levy on all air tickets to fund funds are released in the form of
regional connectivity scheme and grants inaiddirectly to the district
providing viability gap funding for authorities.
airlines to encourage operations on It was launched in December,
regional routes. 1993, to provide a mechanism for
India will have an open-sky policy the Members of Parliament to
for countries beyond the 5,000- km recommend works of
radius from Delhi on a reciprocal developmental nature for creation
basis. of durable community assets and for
The government will look to develop provision of basic facilities including
about 350 dilapidated or underused community infrastructure, based on
airstrips across India into no frills locally felt needs.
airports. Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation
(MOSPI) has been looking into its
working.

Preference under the scheme is

given to works relating to national
priorities, such as provision of

59
 drinking water, public health,
education, sanitation, roads, etc.
The funds released under the
scheme are non-lapsable. The
liability of funds not released in a
particular year is carried forward to
the subsequent years, subject to
eligibility.
The MPs have a recommendatory
role under the scheme. They
recommend their choice of works to
the concerned district authorities
who implement these works by
following the established procedures
of the concerned state government.
The district authorities get the
works executed through the line
departments, local self governments
or other government agencies. In
some cases, the district authorities
get the works executed through
reputed non government
organisations.
The LokSabha Members can
recommend works in their
respective constituencies.
The elected members of the
RajyaSabhacan recommend works
anywhere in the state from which
they are elected.
Nominated members of the
LokSabha and RajyaSabhamay
select works for implementation
anywhere in the country
National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE), has come up with a draft National
Wind Solar Hybrid Policy.
About
The policy lays down the framework
for promoting large grid connected
wind-solar photovoltaic system.
The goal of the policy is to reach
wind-solar hybrid capacity of 10 GW
by 2022.
Optimal and efficient utilisation of
transmission infrastructure and
land, reducing the variability in
renewable power generation, thus,
achieving better grid stability.
The draft policy proposes
hybridisation of existing solar
photovoltaic (PV) and wind power
plants.
Providing a guideline towards
setting up of new hybrid wind-solar
PV power plants.
Providing fiscal and financial
incentives for hybridisation through
financial institutions like Indian
Renewable Energy Development
Agency Limited (IREDA) and
multilateral banks.
UDAN (UdeDeshkaAamNaagrik)
About
UDAN is an innovative scheme to
develop the regional aviation
market. It is a market-based
mechanism in which airlines bid for
seat subsidies.
This first-of-its-kind scheme globally
will create affordable yet
economically viable and profitable
flights on regional routes so that
flying becomes affordable to the
common man even in small towns.
The scheme would be in operation
for a period of 10 years.
The UDAN scheme will be applicable
on flights which cover between 200
km and 800 km with no lower limit
set for hilly, remote, islands and
regions which are security sensitive.
The state governments would reap
the benefit of development of remote
areas; enhance trade and commerce
and more tourism expansion.
60
 The scheme UDAN envisages
providing connectivity to un-served
and underserved airports of the
country through revival of existing
air-strips and airports.
The operators could seek a Viability
Gap Funding (VGF) apart from
getting various concessions.
The scheme aims to boost air travel
in Tier II and Tier III cities by
capping fares at Rs 2,500 per one
hour flight. The Airports Authority of
India is the implementing authority
of the scheme.
As per the scheme, the Union
Government will subsidise the
losses incurred by airlines flying out
of dormant airports.
About 80% of the subsidy will be
collected by charging a levy of up to
Rs. 8,500 on each departing flight of
domestic airlines and the rest 20%
will come from the respective state
governments.
State government are bound to
provide free security and fire service
and utilities at concessional rates.
There will be no landing charges,
parking charges and Terminal
Navigation Landing Charges will be
imposed for RCS flights.
Maharashtra has become the first
state to sign anMoU with the
ministry of civil aviation and the
Airports Authority of India for
Regional Connectivity Scheme.
Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana
(UDAY)
About
Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana
(UDAY) is the financial turnaround
and revival package for electricity
distribution companies of India
(DISCOMs).
State governments taking over up to
75% of their respective discoms
debt and issuing sovereign bonds to
pay back the lenders.
Discomsare expected to issue bonds
for the remaining 25 percent of their
debt.
UDAY envisages a permanent
resolution of past as well as
potential future issues of the sector.
Highlights:
Reducing the interest burden on
the discomsby allowing the states
to take over the bulk of their debt.
Reducing the cost of power, and
increasing the operational
efficiencies of the discoms by
providing capital and infrastructure
like coal linkages.
Reduction in aggregate technical
and commercial (AT&C) and
transmission losses.
Demand side interventions in
UDAY such as usage of energy-
efficient. LED bulbs, agricultural
pumps, fans, air- conditioners and
efficient industrial equipment.
The scheme is optional for the
states to join. Andhra Pradesh was
the first state to join.
Mizoram has become the 27th state
to join UDAY scheme
SwadeshDarshan Scheme
About
The Ministry of Tourism has
launched the SwadeshDarshan
Scheme in 2014- 15 with an aim to
61
 develop theme based tourist Central Public Sector Undertakings
circuits in the country. and corporate sector.
Synergizing efforts to focus on Funding of individual project will
needs and concerns of all vary from state to state.
stakeholders to enrich tourist A National Steering Committee
experience and enhance (NSC) will be constituted with
employment opportunities. Minister in charge of M/O Tourism
Thirteen thematic circuits have as Chairman, to steer the mission
been identified, for development objectives and vision of the scheme.
namely: North-East India Circuit, A Mission Directorate headed by
Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan the Member Secretary, NSC as a
Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna nodal officer will help in
Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal identification of projects in
Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, consultation with the States/ UTs
Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, governments and other stake
Ramayana Circuit and Heritage holders.
Circuit.
Objective
o Integrated development of
Infrastructure in identified theme
based circuits.
oFollow community-based New Print Media Advertisement Policy
development and pro-poor tourism
approach. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
o Creating awareness among the has framed a New Print Media
local communities about the Advertisement Policy for Directorate of
importance of tourism for them in Advertising & Visual Publicity (DAVP).
terms of increase in sources of
income, improved living standards About
and overall development of the area. Objective to promote transparency
oPromote local arts, culture, and accountability in issuing of
handicrafts, cuisine, etc to advertisements in print media.
generate livelihoods in the identified The policy focuses on streamlining
regions. release of Government
oHarness tourism potential for its advertisements and to also
direct and multiplier effects in promote equity and fairness among
employment generation and various categories of
economic development. newspapers/periodicals.
For the first time, the policy
Features of SwadeshDarshan Scheme: introduces a new marking system
to incentivise newspapers which
The scheme is 100% centrally have a better professional standing
funded for the project components and get their circulation verified by
undertaken for public funding. Audit Bureau of Circulations
Leverage Corporate Social (ABC) or Registrar of Newspapers
Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of for India (RNI).

62
 The policy allows relaxations to
encourage publications in regional
languages, small and medium
newspapers, mass circulated
newspapers (over 1 lakh), papers in
the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir
and the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands.
Digital India
Digital India Programme of the NDA
Government is a repackaged and
consolidated version of the hitherto
called National e-governance plan.
It seeks to deliver all government
services electronically.
It not only envisages giving boost to
information technology but also
envisages achieving import-export
balance in electronics.
It was envisaged by the Department
of Electronics and Information
Technology (Deity), and will be
implemented in phases that will
culminate in 2018-19.
The initiative is being implemented
as an umbrella programme which
shall include all departments and
ministries within its scope.
However, the implementation shall
be monitored and overseen by a
Digital India Advisory group that will
be headed by the Ministry of
Communications.
Its objectives are:
Transform so far agrarian Indian
economy to a knowledge-centric
economy
Plug the widening digital divide in
Indian society
Give India equal footing with the
developed world in terms of
development with the aid of latest
technology.
Features
Umbrella programme which
includes the hitherto National
Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) to
connect 2,50,000 gram Panchayats
by providing internet connectivity to
all citizens.
To be completed in phased manner
by 2019.
To be monitored by a Digital India
committee comprised of several
ministers.
Contemplates creation of massive
infrastructure to provide high-speed
internet at the gram level, e-
availability of major government
services like health, education,
security, justice, financial inclusion
etc. thereby digitally empowering
citizens.
Will also ensure public answerability
via a unique ID, e-Pramaan based
on standard government
applications and fully online delivery
of services.
Has capacity to create huge number
of jobs.
If implemented well, will be a great
boost for the electronics industry in
India and expectedly will see a fall in
imports of electronics.
DeenDayalUpadhyaya Gram
JyotiYojana (DDUGJY)
The flagship scheme was launched by
Prime Minister NarendraModi with an aim
to provide 247 uninterrupted electricity
supply to each rural household across the
country by 2022.
About
It focuses on feeder separation for
rural households and agricultural
purpose.
63
 Seeks to strengthen the distribution
and sub-transmission
infrastructure, including metering at
all levels in rural areas.
Major components of the new
scheme: strengthening of sub-
transmission and distribution
network, feeder separation, Metering
at all levels including at input
points, feeders and distribution
transformers.
It also seeks to strengthen Micro
grid and off grid distribution
network of rural electrification.
Funds: The scheme has budgetary
outlay of 76,000 crore rupees for
implementation of the projects of
which Union Government will
provide grant of 63,000 crore
rupees.
This scheme replaces Rajiv Gandhi
GrameenVidyutikaranYojana
(RGGVY), which was launched by
previous UPA government led by
then PM Manmohan Singh.
The deadline for the Centre's rural
electrification programme was May
2017. However the latest data reveal
that the deadline may be missed, as
5150 villages in India are yet to be
electrified. Odisha, Jharkhand,
Bihar and Chhattisgarh account for
the bulk of un-electrified villages
Prelims facts
Upadhyaya conceived the political
philosophy Integral Humanism the
guiding philosophy of
the BharatiyaJanata Party. The
philosophy of Integral Humanism
advocates the simultaneous and
integrated program of the body,
mind and intellect and soul of each
human being.
He visualised for India a ranks, he started a series of
decentralised polity and self-reliant
economy with the village as the
base.
64
DeendayalUpadhyay was convinced
that India as an independent nation
could not rely upon Western
concepts like individualism,
democracy, socialism, communism
or capitalism and was of the view
that the Indian polity
after Independence has been raised
upon these superficial Western
foundations and not rooted in the
traditions of India's ancient culture.
He was of the view that the Indian
intellect was getting suffocated by
Western theories, which left a
"roadblock" to the growth and
expansion of
original Bharatiya thought.
He welcomed modern technology but
wanted it to be adapted to suit
Indian requirements. He believed
in Swaraj ("Self-governance").
Upadhyaya
edited Panchjanya (Weekly) and
Swadesh (Daily) from Lucknow.
In Hindi, he has written a
drama Chandragupta Maurya, and
later wrote a biography
of Shankaracharya. He translated a
Marathi biography of Hedgewar, the
founder of RSS.
He won awards and scholarships
from the Maharaja of Sikar and
industrialist Ghanashyam Das
Birla. Turning down all offers of
government and private sector
employment, he joined the RSS.
He kept company with
NanajiDeshmukh and Sundar Singh
Bhandari, RSS pracharaks who
went on to play a critical role in
anti-Congress politics in the 1960s
and 70s.
Rising rapidly through the RSS
publications including its current
mouthpiece, Panchjanya.
 the scheme, reduction in AT&C
losses as per trajectory.
The discoms need to enter into
tripartite agreement with PFC and
Integrated Power Development
State Government to be enable to
Scheme (IPDS)
get all support

About
Prelims facts
Integrated Power Development
The concept of Aggregate Technical
(IPDS) scheme launched by Modi
& Commercial losses was
Government is basically a new
introduced by some state regulatory
avatar of Restructured Accelerated
commissions in past decade.
Power Development Programme of
The advantage of the parameter is
UPA.
that it provides a realistic picture of
This scheme focuses on
energy & revenue loss situation.
improvement of T&D networks
The AT&C Losses comprise of two
across India.
elements:- Technical Losses &
It promises help in reduction of
Commercial Losses
AT&C losses, establishment of IT
Technical and Commercial losses
enabled energy accounting /
bears effect on the operational
auditing system, improvement in
performance of BESCOM and
billed energy based on metered
Revenue.
consumption and improvement in
Besides this it also indicates
collection efficiency.
healthiness of distribution system,
The scheme has been launched with
billing and vigilance systems.
an outlay of Rs. 44,011 crore for
As such AT&C losses are one of the
12th and 13th plans.
important aspects needs to be kept
All discoms including private
at minimum possible level to ensure
discoms and state power
technical and financial
departments are eligible to get
sustainability of the Company.
financial assistance under it.
The discoms can prioritize what
fraction of their infrastructure work
is to be strengthened and can apply
for assistance with their detailed
project reports. Shyama Prasad MukherjiRurban
The projects supported under this Mission
scheme need to be completed within
24 months.
On 22 February 2016, Prime
Like R-APDP, Power Finance
Minister NarendraModi launched
Corporation is nodal agency for this
the National Rurban Mission (NRM)
scheme.
from Kurubhat in Rajnandgaon
The grant portion of this scheme is
district of Chhattisgarh.
60% for normal states and 85% for
The mission, also dubbed as
special category states. They can
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban
also get 15% additional grant if they
Mission (SPMRM) aims to spur
do the work within prescribed
social, economic and infrastructure
milestones viz. timely completion of

65
 development in rural areas by
developing a cluster of 300 Smart
Villages over the next 3 years across
the country in the first phase.
More clusters will be identified
depending upon the progress of the
scheme. This mission was
announced in the Union Budget
2014-15.
NRuM is to be implemented by
Ministry of Rural Development.
About
The objectives of this mission are to:
Stimulate local economic
development, improve basic services
and create well planned Rurban
clusters.
Enable cluster based development
with a rural soul and urban
amenities along with focus on
equity and inclusiveness.
A Rurban cluster comprises of
geographically contiguous villages
with a population of around 25000
to 50000 in plain and coastal areas
and a population of around 5000 to
15000 in desert, hilly or tribal areas.
As far as possible, the clusters of
village will be in a single
block/tehsil for administrative
convenience.
The mission outlines 14 desirable
components linked to developing
skills and local entrepreneurship,
economic activities and providing
necessary infrastructural facilities.
The clusters which have latent
potential for growth in rural areas
are selected from all States and UTs.
Under NRuM, the clusters are
classified in to two groups viz. Tribal
and Non-Tribal.
The total mission budget will be
around Rs. 5142 crore for the period
2015-16 to 2019-20.
Under this mission, the State
governments need to identify
existing State government schemes,
centrally sponsored schemes,
central sector schemes which are
relevant to the development of the
cluster and integrate their
implementation in a time bound
manner.
The central government will provide
the Critical Gap Funding (CGF) to
the clusters to supplement the
shortfall in the availability of funds.
The critical gap funding is capped at
30% of the capital cost or Rs. 30
crores whichever is lesser.
The expenditure incurred from
operation and maintenance of the
project will be recovered by levying
user charges and the shortfall has
to be supported by the state
government budgets.
PAHAL-Direct Benefits Transfer for
LPG (DBTL) Consumers Scheme
Governments ambitious
PratyakshaHastaantaritLaabh (PAHAL)
scheme has been acknowledged as the
worlds largest cash transfer program
(households) by the Guinness Book of
World Records.
About
The scheme was formally launched
as Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme
for LPG subsidy in 2013 in 291
districts under the aegis of Union
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural
Gas.
It was modified and christened as
PaHal in November 2014 and was
launched in 54 districts. Later it
66
 was extended nationwide on 1 Will cover 8 states, 47 towns & 12
January 2015. rivers under the project.
Under the scheme, subsidized Over 1,632 gram panchayats on the
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) banks of Ganga to be made open
cylinders are sold at market rates defecation-free by 2022.
and consumers are entitled to Several ministries are working with
receive LPG subsidy directly into nodal Water Resources Ministry for
their bank accounts. this project includes Environment,
It is done either through bank Urban Development , Shipping,
account or Aadhaar linkage. Tourism & Rural Development
Currently it covers more than 9.75 Ministries.
crore LPG consumers across the Prime focus will be on involving
country. people living on the rivers banks in
The scheme aims at eliminating this project.
duplication or bogus LPG Under the aegis of National Mission
connections and its diversion. It also for Clean Ganga (NMCG) & State
seeks to meet substantive savings in Programme Management Groups
LPG subsidy. (SPMGs) States and Urban Local
Bodies and Panchayati Raj
institutions will be involved in this
project.
Setting river centric urban planning
NamamiGange Project process to facilitate better citizen
connects, through interventions at
NamamiGange Project or Namami Ghats and River fronts.
Ganga Yojana is an ambitious Expansion of coverage of sewerage
Union Government Project which infrastructure in 118 urban
integrates the efforts to clean and habitations on banks of Ganga.
protect the Ganga river in a Enforcement of Ganga specific River
comprehensive manner. Regulatory Zones.
It its maiden budget, the Development of rational agricultural
governnment announced Rs. 2037 practices & efficient irrigation
Crore towards this mission. methods.
The project is officially known Setting Ganga Knowledge Centre.
as Integrated Ganga Conservation Prelims facts
Mission project or Namami Ganga Ganga Basin is the largest river
Yojana. basin in India in terms of catchment
This project aims at Ganga area which is spread over 11 states
Rejuvenation by combining the that constitutes 26% of the
existing ongoing efforts and countrys land mass and supports
planning under it to create a about 43% of its population.
concrete action plan for future. Ganga Action plan was launched in
About two phase manner by then PM Mr.
Over Rs. 20,000 crore has been Rajiv Gandhi.
sanctioned in 2014-2015 budget for Phase I 1985: Covered 25 Ganga
the next 5 years. towns in three states over Rs 862.59
crore were spent.

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 Phase II : Covered 59 towns in five
states over Rs 505.31 cr were spent. Rashtriya Gram SwarajAbhiyan
Separate action plans for rivers-
Yamuna, Damodar, Rashtriya Gram SwarajAbhiyan
Gomti&Mahananda. (RGSA) is a revamped version of
This Action plan was failure. Rajiv Gandhi
National Ganga River Basin PanchayatShashaktikaranAbhiyan
Authority (NGRBA) - This was (RGPSA) and covers various projects
launched by UPA government over to strengthen the Panchayati Raj
43 towns were covered in five states system in the country.
an dover Rs 1,027 crore were spent The scheme seeks to:
until March 31, 2015. Enhance capacities and
effectiveness of Panchayats and the
Gram Sabhas;
Enable democratic decision-making
and accountability in Panchayats
SetuBharatam Project and promote peoples participation;
Strengthen the institutional
NarendraModi has launched structure for knowledge creation
SetuBharatam Project to make all and capacity building of
national highways free of railway Panchayats;
crossings by 2019. Promote devolution of powers and
This project will be implemented by responsibilities to Panchayats
the Union Ministry of Road according to the spirit of the
Transport and Highways. Constitution and PESA Act;
About Strengthen Gram Sabhas to
Under this project 208 places have function effectively as the basic
been identified for construction of forum of peoples participation,
rail over-bridges (ROB) or transparency and accountability
underpasses under the project. within the Panchayat system;
Around 1,500 bridges that are over Create and strengthen democratic
50 to 60 years old or of the British local self-government in areas where
era will be overhauled and will be Panchayats do not exist;
rebuilt. Strengthen the constitutionally
More than 50 thousand crore rupees mandated framework on which
will be spent on the project. Panchayats are founded.
Union Ministry of Road Transport Currently, the scheme is proposed
and Highways already has launched to be launched so that the
an Indian Bridge Management Panchayati Raj Institutions develop
System to map 1,50,000 bridges governance capabilities to deliver on
across the country. the sustainable development goals.

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 NOTE
Aspirants are advised to look at the
following schemes briefly as wellon their
own.
1. National sub Mission on
Arsenic and Flouride
2. Mission 11 million
3. Smart India Hackthon 2017
4. VidyaVeertaAbhiyan Wall of
Valour
5. Logistics Efficiency
Enhancement Programme
6. Nelson Mandela Rules
7. SeekhoaurKamao,
8. Progress Panchayat,
9. PadhoPardes

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