Government Schemes [India & States] Current Affairs MCQs

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Himachal Pradesh launched the ‘Him Bus Plus’ scheme to promote cashless travel and identity-linked ticketing in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses. Passengers will get 5% discount on fares and monthly loyalty cashback benefits. Digital bus inspection scheduling introduced with SMS alerts for timely checks and staff monitoring. GPS-based tracking system launched in 82 Shimla buses, to cover full fleet soon. ‘Him Access HRTC’ portal launched for 9000+ employees to view salary and personal details.

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Ministry of Women and Child Development extended the special registration drive for Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). is a centrally sponsored scheme under Mission Shakti’s sub-scheme ‘Samarthya’. It aims to give financial help through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM). The goal is to support nutritious diets, improve health-seeking behaviour, and compensate for wage loss. It aligns with Section 4 of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.

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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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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu launched the Annadata Sukhibhava-PM Kisan scheme in East Veerayapalem, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh. A total of ₹3,175 crore was disbursed to 46.85 lakh farmers, with ₹7,000 per farmer in the first phase. The ₹7,000 included ₹5,000 from the State (₹2,343 crore) and ₹2,000 from the Centre (₹832 crore), part of a ₹20,000 annual aid. The scheme is a historic step to empower farmers. Farmers were advised to use the Sukhibhava portal or helpline (155251) for any payment issues.

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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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On 14 August 2025, Madhya Pradesh witnessed a historic event for farmers as Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav released the second installment of the Chief Minister Kisan Kalyan Yojana (CMKKY) 2025-26 in Mandla. More than 83 lakh farmers will benefit, receiving ₹6,000 per year under CMKKY, in addition to the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana benefits. The scheme was launched by Madhya Pradesh government in September 2020. The scheme has already transferred over ₹17,500 crore directly to farmers’ bank accounts till March 2025. The installment aims to boost financial stability for Kharif and Rabi seasons, support input purchases, and encourage investments in allied activities.

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The Bihar government has doubled the pension for ‘JP Senanis’, political activists jailed during the Emergency for supporting Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement. The decision was approved in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar. Pension for those jailed over six months is increased from ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 per month. Pension for those jailed less than six months is raised from ₹7,500 to ₹15,000 per month. This adjustment falls under JP Senani Samman Pension Scheme. The scheme was launched by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in 2009. Currently, 3,354 people receive this pension.

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On 15 August 2025, during India’s 79th Independence Day, a High-Power Demography Mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Red Fort. The mission aims to counter a premeditated conspiracy to alter India’s demographic composition through illegal infiltration. Concerns were raised that infiltrators are threatening national security, especially in border areas. Infiltrators were accused of snatching jobs from youth, targeting women, and misleading tribal communities to capture forest land. It was stressed that no nation can tolerate intruders, as demographic changes create unity, integrity, and security challenges.

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The Prime Minister recently praised the success of PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Yojana for empowering street vendors. It is a central-sector micro-credit scheme launched on 1st June 2020 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The scheme provides affordable working capital loans to street vendors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. It is implemented by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). Vendors can avail loans up to Rs. 10,000, repayable in one year through monthly installments.

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Government of India launched a 15-day Entrepreneurship Development Programme under the SMILE scheme. The programme aims to empower transgender persons through self-employment and livelihood opportunities. SMILE stands for Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise scheme. It is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. SMILE has two subschemes: Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons and Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging.