Government Schemes [India & States] Current Affairs MCQs

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The Uttar Pradesh government has launched the “One Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya One Sport” scheme to promote sports among girls studying in Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls Schools (KGBVs). The scheme aims to give special sports training and promote the physical, mental, and social growth of girls from backward and underprivileged communities. It will help these girls prepare to compete at the national level in sports. In the pilot phase, two KGBV schools from each of the 73 districts, except Kanpur Dehat which has one, will be included. A sports committee in every school will select one sport based on the students’ interest and available resources. Sports experts will provide special training, and health check-ups and awareness sessions on nutrition and hygiene will be held.

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The Jal Shakti Ministry is requesting Rs 2.79 lakh crore additional funding for the Jal Jeevan Mission. The mission was launched by the Prime Minister in 2019. Its aim is to provide tap water connections to around 16 crore rural households, aiming for full coverage by 2028 (previously set for 2024). Key components include source sustainability, greywater management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting. The mission empowers women by reducing the burden of water collection, improving their health, education, and socio-economic status. It enhances the dignity and quality of life for rural families, contributing to their overall ease of living.

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The Surat Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is the world’s first market-based system created to control particulate air pollution and was launched in 2019. ETS is a regulatory tool that sets a cap on total emissions and allows industries to trade emission permits, also known as the “cap-and-trade” system. Companies that pollute less can sell their extra permits to those that exceed their limits, promoting cleaner operations through economic rewards. The Surat ETS targets 342 high-emission industries, mostly in the textile sector, using fuels like coal, lignite, and diesel. It was developed by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) with support from the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), and Yale University. This scheme marks India’s first emissions market for any pollutant and is significant as it addresses particulate matter, not carbon dioxide.

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The Uttar Pradesh government launched the Resham Sakhi Yojana to economically empower rural women. The scheme allows women to earn income through sericulture by rearing silkworms at home. It is being implemented jointly by the State Rural Livelihood Mission and the Silk Department. Women will receive training in silkworm rearing to produce mulberry silk and tussar silk. Training for mulberry silk will be conducted in Mysore, Karnataka, and for tussar silk in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The scheme aims to benefit 50,000 women in 5 years. In the first phase, 7,500 women from 15 districts will be trained by 2025-26.

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Madhya Pradesh has received formal approval for the ₹2,100 crore Prime Minister Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park project. The project has been sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Textiles and will be the first integrated textile park of its kind in India. The PM MITRA Scheme aims to strengthen the Indian textile industry by enabling larger-scale operations. It seeks to reduce logistics costs by housing the entire value chain at one location. The scheme also aims to attract investment and enhance export potential. It is inspired by the 5F vision (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign) of the Prime Minister. The scheme was implemented by the Ministry of Textiles.

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The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are now working together under the wastepickers component of the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme. UNDP is providing financial support to State Project Management Units (PMUs) to strengthen the scheme’s implementation. The NAMASTE Scheme was jointly launched by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2023 to protect the safety and dignity of sanitation workers. Its wastepicker component was launched in 2024 with the goal to digitally profile and register 2.5 lakh wastepickers across India. It also provides health insurance under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), and offers skill development training.

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Haryana Government has launched a new scheme called Pandit Lakhmi Chand Kalakar Samajik Samman Yojana. It aims to support senior artists and art scholars who have contributed to art but are now inactive due to old age. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini approved this decision in a recent State Cabinet meeting. Eligible artists will receive ₹10,000 per month if their annual income is up to ₹1.80 lakh, and ₹7,000 if income is between ₹1.80 lakh and ₹3 lakh. Artists must be 60 years or older, with proof from Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP). Contributions in fields like singing, acting, painting, and dance for at least 20 years are required. Applications must include documents and press clippings and must be submitted online. A special committee will assess applications based on financial need and artistic merit.

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Kerala has decided to move the Supreme Court after the Centre withheld ₹1,500 crore for education schemes, citing Kerala’s non-participation in the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. PM SHRI stands for Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India and was launched in 2022 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. It aims to upgrade selected schools as model institutions to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The scheme runs from 2022–23 to 2026–27, after which states and Union Territories will maintain the standards. It focuses on modern infrastructure, smart classrooms, labs, sustainability, and real-world skill development.

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The Uttar Pradesh government has launched the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Abhiyan Yojana to boost self-employment among youth. Under this scheme, young entrepreneurs can get interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh. No collateral or personal guarantee is required to avail the loan. The aim is to support youth in starting their own businesses and becoming self-reliant. This initiative encourages entrepreneurship and job creation in the state. It is a step toward empowering youth and reducing unemployment through financial assistance. The scheme reflects the state’s commitment to inclusive economic development.

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The Self Reliant India Fund, known as SRI Fund, supports Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by providing equity funding to help them grow into large businesses. The total size of the fund is Rs. 50,000 crore, out of which Rs. 10,000 crore comes from the Government of India and Rs. 40,000 crore is mobilized from private equity and venture capital investors. The SRI Fund uses a mother-fund and daughter-fund model to invest in MSMEs through equity or quasi-equity instruments. It is managed by NSIC Venture Capital Fund Limited (NVCFL), a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). As of March 2025, the scheme has already invested about Rs. 10,979 crore in 577 MSMEs, showing strong progress in supporting India’s small businesses.