Every scheme or programme launched by the Government for social welfare development in the country is important in terms of IAS Exam. The IAS aspirants should prepare such schemes in detail because based on such topics can be asked IAS Prelims Exam as well as in the IAS Mains Exam.
Most Important Government Schemes I for IAS Exam 2018
Here, we have started a series of schemes launched by the present government, which are important for the upcoming IAS Exam 2018.
Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
The Union Cabinet has approved the renaming of the Matritva Sahyog Yojana as the Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under which Rs. 6000 aid to be provided to pregnant and lactating mothers for the first live birth.
Objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
- To provide partial compensation to working women against their wage loss and ensure their proper rest nutrition.
- To improve the health of pregnant women and lactating mothers and reducing the effects of under-nutrition through cash incentives.
- Benefits Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
- It would benefit pregnant women and lactating mothers for the birth of their first live child.
- The benefit amount would be sent directly to the bank account of the beneficiary through DBT mode.
The amount of Rs. 6000 would be paid in following three installments:
- 1st Installment: Rs. 1000 at the time of registration of pregnancy.
- 2nd Installment: Rs 2,000 if they carry out at least one antenatal check-up after six months of pregnancy.
- 3rd Installment: The rest amount will be paid when the birth of a child is registered and the child has its first cycle of vaccines, including BCG, OPV, DPT and hepatitis-B.
The following categories of women have been excluded from the benefit of Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana (PMMVY):
- Those who are in regular employment with central or state government or any public sector undertaking.
- Those who are the recipients of similar benefits under any other scheme or law.
The total fund allocated for implementation of the scheme is Rs. 12,661 crore for the period 3 years from between January 2017 and March 2020. Out of which Rs. 12,661 crore would be borne by the central government while the rest of the funds would be provided by the respective state governments.
Easy Loan Scheme for Rural Households with Interest Subsidy
The central government has a plan to launch Easy Loan scheme, especially for the rural households. The Easy Loan scheme would be a small loan to be provided to rural households at a subsidized interest rate of 4% to 7% without any security deposit.
A poor rural household can get a loan of up to Rs. 1 Lakh under the scheme in the coming 3 to 5 years. As per the Social Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) date which to be verified by Gram Sabhas, there are about 8.5 million poor rural households in the country eligible for such easy loans to meet their daily expenses.
Most Important Topics for IAS Prelims Exam 2018
Power Tex India Scheme Launched to Boost Powerloom Sector
Power Tex India, a new comprehensive scheme for the development of powerloom sector was launched by the Ministry of Textile on 1 April 2017 in Bhiwandi, Thane district, Maharashtra simultaneously at over 45 locations in the country. The scheme is considered as an effective initiative of the Government to posh the powerloom sector across the country and to spread it globally.
Components of the comprehensive Power Tex India scheme
- In-situ up-gradation of plain power looms
- Yarn bank scheme
- Group Workshed Scheme (GWS)
- Solar Energy Scheme for powerloom
- Common Facility Centre (CFC)
- Pradhan Mantri Credit Scheme for powerloom weavers;
- Grant-in-Aid and modernization and Upgradation of powerloom service centres (PSCs)
- Facilitation, IT, awareness, market development and publicity for powerloom schemes
- Tex Venture Capital Fund
1. In-situ up-gradation of plain powerlooms
This component will benefit the financial weaker low-end powerlooms firms through financial assistance for the upgradation of their existing plain looms into semi-automatic/shuttle less looms. It will also assist all powerloom units having 8 loom units to improve the quality of fabrics as well as the productivity of such looms.
2. Yarn Bank Scheme
The Yarn Bank Scheme will provide an interest-free corpus fund to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) /consortium to small weavers. The interest-free corpus funds will further help them in purchasing input materials like yarn at the wholesale rate and selling the final product at the reasonable price so that their margins can be intact. There will be no middleman involved in purchasing of input materials and selling of the final product. The main motive of the component is to maximise the profit of small weavers.
3. Pradhan Mantri Credit Scheme
A decentralised facility of credit scheme under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is also there which will provide a loan to powerloom units/small.
4. Solar Energy Scheme
Under the Solar Energy Scheme, financial assistance or capital subsidy will be provided for the installation of solar plants by powerloom units. There are two ways a powerloom unit can get the benefit of the scheme under this component:
- On-grid solar photovoltaic plant (without battery backup)
- Off-grid solar photovoltaic plant (with battery backup)
The objective of this component is to make them efficient in achieving the highest production in terms of both quantity and quality. For this, there is a provision of providing 50% to 90% subsidy on the plantation of solar off-grid power plants. The other motive of the government is focusing on the use of solar energy as a renewable source of energy in powerloom units and makes the powerloom sector among a self-reliant sector in the country.
