Government Schemes [India & States] Current Affairs MCQs

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On May 28, 2025, the Government approved the continuation of the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) for the year 2025–26. It is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Government of India, aimed at providing affordable credit to farmers. Under MISS, farmers get short-term agricultural loans through the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) at a concessional rate. Loans are provided by Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs), Small Finance Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Cooperatives, and Computerized Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) linked to SCBs. The implementing agencies for settling interest subvention claims are the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

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Recently, exporters got relief as they may now avail duty-free import benefits under the Advance Authorisation Scheme (AAS) even if goods were shipped before the licence was issued. The Advance Authorisation Scheme (AAS) allows duty-free import of inputs that are physically used in the manufacture of export products. It exempts import duties like Basic Customs Duty, Additional Customs Duty, Anti-dumping Duty, and others under certain conditions. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) sets product-wise norms under the Standard Input-Output Norms (SION).

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The second batch of Phase 2 of the National Geospatial Knowledge-Based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA) Capacity Building Programme was inaugurated recently. A total of 128 officers from Urban Local Bodies (ULB) and districts will receive one week of hands-on training. NAKSHA is a city survey initiative under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP). The program, led by the Department of Land Resources, aims to update land records in urban areas for better documentation and dispute reduction.

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Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced a new FASTag Annual Pass scheme on June 18, 2025, to make highway travel easier for private vehicle users. The pass costs ₹3,000 and is valid from August 15 for one year or 200 trips, whichever comes first. It is applicable only for non-commercial private vehicles like cars, jeeps, and vans. FASTag is an electronic toll system managed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The pass allows free travel at National Highway (NH) and National Expressway (NE) toll plazas without per-trip charges.

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Recently, the Government of Andhra Pradesh launched the Thalliki Vandanam Scheme 2025 to support education for underprivileged students by providing ₹15,000 per year per child to eligible mothers or guardians. The scheme applies to students from Class 1 to 12 enrolled in recognised schools in Andhra Pradesh. Orphans and street children enrolled through verified voluntary organisations can also benefit with government confirmation. Financial aid is given via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into the Aadhaar-linked, NPCI-enabled bank account of the mother.

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Recently, the New Delhi Bench of the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) ruled that revenue proceedings cannot continue once a discharge certificate is issued under the Sabka Vishwas (Legacy Dispute Resolution) Scheme, 2019 (SVLDRS). SVLDRS was a one-time amnesty scheme introduced in the Union Budget 2019 to resolve pending disputes related to Service Tax, Central Excise, and 26 other Indirect Tax laws that are now merged under the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It encouraged taxpayers to voluntarily declare and pay unpaid dues.

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Recently, India marked 10 years of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), launched on June 25, 2015, to improve urban life. AMRUT focused on water supply, sewerage, urban mobility, and green spaces in 500 cities, prioritizing services for the urban poor. AMRUT 2.0, started in 2021 with an outlay of ₹2.99 lakh crore, aims for universal water and sewerage coverage using advanced monitoring like Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). The nodal ministry for the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

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Recently, the Haryana government announced the launch of the Lado Lakshmi Scheme to support women from economically weaker sections. This scheme will give ₹2,100 every month to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. The scheme is inspired by the existing Haryana Ladli Lakshmi Yojana to help financially poor women. Its goal is to empower women, improve their livelihoods, and reduce poverty and economic inequality in Haryana.

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Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government launched the Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra Kits scheme. The scheme is named after India’s second President and renowned teacher to keep education above politics. More than 35 lakh students will get free school kits under this scheme. The total cost is Rs 953.71 crore, with Rs 778.68 crore from the state and Rs 175.03 crore from the Centre.

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Recently, a new Akashvani Kendra (All India Radio station) will be set up in Ujjain with support from the BIND Scheme. BIND stands for Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development Scheme. It is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2023. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Its objective is to provide financial assistance to Prasar Bharati.