Government Schemes [India & States] Current Affairs MCQs

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The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, held an awareness session on National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. National Means-Cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) was launched by the Ministry of Education as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Uttar Pradesh receives the highest quota with 15,000 fresh scholarships yearly. Students must register on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) after Class VIII using Aadhaar credentials. A One-Time Registration (OTR) system launched in 2024-25 avoids duplication of benefits.

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India has achieved a record-low price of ₹55.75/kg for Green Ammonia in the first Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) auction. This milestone was achieved under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Scheme. The scheme is a flagship financial component of the National Green Hydrogen Mission. The scheme aims to scale up green hydrogen production and use in India. It seeks to make green hydrogen cost-competitive with fossil fuels. It also focuses on creating domestic demand in key sectors like industry and transport.

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The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the ‘Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education’ (MERITE) Scheme. The scheme will be implemented in 275 technical institutions, including 175 engineering institutions and 100 polytechnics, across all States and Union Territories. It is a Central Sector Scheme with a budget of ₹4,200 crore from 2025-26 to 2029-30, including ₹2,100 crore loan assistance from the World Bank. The aim is to improve quality, equity, and governance in technical education, aligned with the National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020).

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The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of universal supply of fortified rice under all government schemes till December 2028 with 100% central funding of ₹17,082 crore. The Fortified Rice Scheme is a nutrition intervention programme that supplies rice enriched with Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12 through government food safety nets. The scheme aims to combat anaemia, malnutrition, and hidden hunger across India. The nodal agency is the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and technical standards are framed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

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Bihar government has launched Mukhya Mantri Divyangjan Udyami Yojana to promote entrepreneurship among specially abled persons. The scheme provides Rs 5 lakh subsidy and Rs 5 lakh interest-free loan to each beneficiary. Initially, 100 specially abled persons will be supported, with expansion based on application volume. The scheme is a separate category under the existing Mukhya Mantri Udyami Yojana, which also supports minorities and women. The Social Welfare Department is promoting entrepreneurship through initiatives like Divya Kala Mela in Patna.

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The Government recently informed that over 68,000 ponds have been created under the Amrit Sarovar Mission. The Amrit Sarovar Mission, launched in April 2022, aims to construct or rejuvenate 75 Amrit Sarovars (ponds) in each district as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Each pond has a minimum area of 1 acre and a water holding capacity of about 10,000 cubic metres. Amrit Sarovars are surrounded by trees like Neem, Peepal, and Banyan. They support livelihoods through irrigation, fisheries, duckery, water chestnut cultivation, water tourism, and other activities.

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The Centre recently issued operational guidelines for 72,300 public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations with an outlay of ₹2,000 crore under the ₹10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme. The PM E-DRIVE (Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement) scheme was launched in October 2024 and will run till March 31, 2026. The aim of scheme is to accelerate EV adoption, create charging infrastructure, support public transport, and build a strong EV manufacturing ecosystem. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is the nodal agency for charging demand aggregation and development of a Unified EV Super App offering real-time charger status, slot booking, payments, and deployment tracking

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The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) launched the Development of Industry Associations (DIA) scheme in 2025. The scheme aims to build stronger and financially sustainable industry associations for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). It was inaugurated during the National Conclave on DIA in New Delhi. Around 125 representatives from 90 industry associations participated in the event. The participating sectors included engineering, textiles, plastics, electronics, food processing, and furniture. Eight associations from four north-eastern states also took part. The initiative focuses on strengthening collective capacity and support for MSMEs.

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Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a special Krishi programme at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. He launched two major schemes worth ₹35,440 crore to strengthen Indian agriculture. The PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (₹24,000 crore) aims to boost productivity, crop diversification, irrigation, storage, and farm credit across 100 districts. The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (₹11,440 crore) focuses on raising pulse production, expanding cultivation by 35 lakh hectares, and ensuring procurement and value chain support.

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The Central Government has launched the ₹600 crore Kapas Kranti Mission to promote high-yield, long-staple cotton cultivation using scientific and technological methods. Farmers in Maharashtra’s Akola region have increased yields through High-Density Plantation (HDP) methods. These High-Density Plantation (HDP) techniques will now be introduced in Telangana with exposure visits for farmers. Around 24 lakh farmers in Telangana grow cotton, making it India’s top producer. The government will open 122 procurement centres after Diwali and launch the Kapas Kisan App for transparent slot booking and fair prices.