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Type: Schemes

  • MGNREGA Scheme

    Centre amends MGNREGA for Water Conservation in Scarcity Zones

    Why in the News?

    The Central Government has amended the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005) to mandate a minimum share of funds for water conservation and harvesting works. Earlier this month, MGNREGA completed 20 years of its implementation.

    What is entailed in this MGNREGA (2005) Amendment?

    • Objective: Prioritise long-term water management, shift focus from reactive drought relief to preventive groundwater conservation.
    • Provision Amended: Paragraph 4(2), Schedule I of MGNREGA (2005).
    • Mandate: Minimum share of MGNREGA funds earmarked for water conservation & harvesting works.
    • Allocation Criteria: Based on groundwater stress classification (Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) assessment):
      • 65% in over-exploited / critical (dark zones).
      • 40% in semi-critical blocks.
      • 30% in safe/non-critical blocks.
    • Responsibility: District Programme Coordinator / Programme Officer must ensure compliance.
    • Earlier Provision: Gram Panchayats could prioritise works; at least 60% of funds had to go to agriculture & allied works, including water.

    About MGNREGA:

    • Overview: MGNREGS is a rights-based Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched under the MGNREGA Act of 2005 to ensure the Right to Work for rural households.
    • Origins:
      • The idea of employment guarantee in India began with Maharashtra’s pilot, Employment Guarantee Scheme (MEGS), in 1965 under the Vasantrao Naik government.
      • At the national level, the idea was first proposed in 1991 by then PM P. V. Narasimha Rao and later enacted in 2005.
    • Employment Guarantee: It provides 100 days of wage employment per year to any adult willing to do unskilled manual labour in rural India.
    • Legal Obligation: It is the first law in India that imposes a legal duty on the government to provide employment and compensate for non-compliance.
    • Development Goal: The scheme aims to promote livelihood security, inclusive growth, and rural development.

    Key Features:

    • Statutory Right: Employment under MGNREGS is a legal entitlement, not just a welfare scheme.
    • Eligibility: Any rural adult aged 18 or above can apply and must be offered work within 15 days.
    • Proximity and Wages: Work must be provided within 5 km of the applicant’s residence with minimum wage, and delays attract compensation.
    • Unemployment Allowance: If work is not provided on time, the state must pay an allowance.
    • Demand-Driven Model: The scheme is worker-initiated, requiring the government to respond to demand.
    • Transparency and Audits: Regular social audits and online updates ensure accountability in job cards, muster rolls, and fund use.
    • Local Implementation: It is decentralised, led by Gram Panchayats, with support from block and state officials, and centrally funded.
    • Women’s Inclusion: At least one-third of beneficiaries must be women, enhancing gender equity.
    • Sustainable Assets: Projects focus on durable rural infrastructure like ponds, roads, canals, and plantations.
    [UPSC 2011] Among the following who are eligible to benefit from the “Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act”?

    (a) Adult members of only the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households

    (b) Adult members of below poverty line (BPL) households

    (c) Adult members of households of all backward communities

    (d) Adult members of any household *

     

  • Horticulture, Floriculture, Commercial crops, Bamboo Production – MIDH, NFSM-CC, etc.

    [pib] Clean Plant Programme (CPP)

    Why in the News?

    The government has announced the establishment of 9 Clean Plant Centres across the country as part of the recently approved Rs 1,765.67 crore Clean Plant Programme (CPP).

    What is Clean Plant Programme (CPP)?

    • Launch: Cleared by the Union Cabinet in August 2024 with an outlay of ₹1,765.67 crore, supported by a $98 million Asian Development Bank loan.
    • Implementation: Led by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare through the National Horticulture Board (NHB), with technical support from ICAR.
    • Objective: Supply virus-free, high-quality planting material to improve crop yield, quality, and farmer incomes in horticulture.
    • Scope: Focus on fruit crops such as grapes, oranges, pomegranates, apples, and citrus.

    Key Features:

    • Centres: Establishment of 9 Clean Plant Centres (CPCs) across India; three in Maharashtra – Pune (grapes), Nagpur (oranges), Solapur (pomegranates).
    • Research Hub: National-level laboratory in Pune for original plant species research.
    • Financial Aid: ₹3 crore for large nurseries, ₹1.5 crore for medium nurseries; target of 8 crore disease-free seedlings annually.
    • Certification & Traceability: Strong framework to ensure disease-free mother plants and regulated propagation.
    • Global Cooperation: Collaboration with Israel and the Netherlands for clean plant technologies.
    • Policy Alignment: Supports Mission LiFE, One Health, and Viksit Bharat 2047.

    On-Ground Progress:

    • Dedicated Website: Launched as central hub – cpp-beta.nhb.gov.in.
    • Hazard Analysis:
      • Grapevine: 578 samples tested from multiple states.
      • Apple: 535 samples under testing from Himalayan and northern states.
      • Citrus:  Hazard profiling preparations underway.
    • Assessments: ICAR, NHB, and ADB conducted lab and nursery visits (2024–25) to strengthen diagnostics and bioinformatics using High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS).
    • Propagation Protocol: Negative samples re-tested; positive ones treated with tissue culture, heat, or cryotherapy before propagation.
    • Infrastructure: First Clean Plant Centre underway; design bidding initiated.
    [UPSC 2011] With what purpose is the GoI promoting the concept of “Mega Food Parks”?

    1. To provide good infrastructure facilities for the food processing industry.

    2. To increase the processing of perishable items and reduce wastage.

    3. To provide emerging and eco-friendly food processing technologies to entrepreneurs.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    Options: (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only* (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

     

  • Textile Sector – Cotton, Jute, Wool, Silk, Handloom, etc.

    What is PM MITRA Park?

    Why in the News?

    Prime Minister recently laid the foundation stone for India’s first PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) Park in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.

    About PM MITRA Scheme:

    • Overview: Introduced by the Ministry of Textiles in 2021, the scheme aims to strengthen India’s textile sector by creating 7 world-class integrated parks.
    • Concept: Designed on the vision Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, each park consolidates the entire textile value chain—spinning, weaving, dyeing, processing, printing, and garment-making—within a single ecosystem.
    • Sites Selected: Tamil Nadu (Virudhunagar), Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh (Dhar), and Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow).
    • Timeline: All parks are targeted to be established by 2026–27, with each covering around 1,000+ acres.
    • Implementation Structure:
      • Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV): Each park will be developed by an SPV jointly owned by the Centre and State Governments, operating in Public–Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
      • Development Capital Support (DCS): Up to ₹500 crore per park provided by the Centre to SPVs.
      • Competitive Incentive Support (CIS): Up to ₹300 crore per park offered to manufacturing units to encourage rapid implementation.

    Key Features and Benefits:

    • Integrated Value Chain: All stages of textile production are located in one hub, reducing transport costs, delays, and inefficiencies.
    • World-Class Infrastructure: Includes incubation centres, design/testing labs, effluent treatment plants, reliable utilities, logistics facilities, and worker hostels.
    • Employment Generation: Each park expected to create ~1 lakh direct and ~2 lakh indirect jobs, especially benefiting women and rural youth.
    • Investment Boost: Scheme aims to attract over ₹70,000 crore in investments in the textile sector.
  • Mother and Child Health – Immunization Program, BPBB, PMJSY, PMMSY, etc.

    [pib] Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan (SNSPA)

    Why in the News?

    Prime Minister has launched the Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan (SNSPA) alongside the 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah.

    [pib] Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan (SNSPA)

    About Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan (SNSPA):

    • Launch: Introduced on 17 September 2025 by the PM, jointly led by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
    • Objective: Strengthen women’s, children’s, and family health services, focusing on rural, tribal, and underserved regions.
    • Scale: Over 10 lakh health camps at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Community Health Centres (CHCs), and District Hospitals.
    • Screenings: Anaemia, hypertension, diabetes, TB, breast and cervical cancers, sickle cell disease, reproductive health conditions.
    • Services offered: Maternal, child, adolescent health including antenatal care, immunisation, nutrition counselling, menstrual hygiene, mental health, lifestyle awareness.
    • Digital Monitoring: SASHAKT portal ensures real-time data tracking and transparency.
    • Jan Bhagidaari: Collaboration with private hospitals, SHGs, Anganwadis, Panchayati Raj institutions, volunteers.
    • Tribal Focus: Specialised medical services and tailored counselling for remote and tribal areas.

    What is Rashtriya Poshan Maah?

    • Overview: Part of POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission); celebrated annually since 2018.
    • 2025 Edition: 8th Poshan Maah, aligned with SNSPA for synergised impact.
    • Aim: Mobilise communities to improve nutrition of children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls.
    • Activities: Poshan Panchayats, health and nutrition camps, recipe demos, rallies, school-Anganwadi outreach, Jan Andolan approach.
    • Focus Areas (2025):
      • Anaemia Mukt Bharat and micronutrient awareness.
      • Complementary feeding practices for infants and toddlers.
      • Poshan-Vatika (nutri-gardens) for food security.
      • Promotion of traditional and regional diets for sustainable nutrition.
    [UPSC 2024] With reference to the ‘Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan’, consider the following statements:

    1. This scheme guarantees a minimum package of antenatal care services to women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy and six months post-delivery health care service in any government health facility.

    2. Under this scheme, private sector health care providers of certain specialities can volunteer to provide services at nearby government health facilities.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only* (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

     

  • Pension Reforms

    Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)

    Why in the News?

    The Centre has approved the Unified Pension Scheme, starting Apr 2025, with NPS employees allowed to switch till Sept 30, 2025.

    About Unified Pension Scheme (UPS):

    • Launch & Applicability: Announced in August 2024; implemented from 1 April 2025. Applicable to central govt employees who joined service after 1 January 2004 (those under NPS).
    • Nature: Hybrid pension system combining features of the assured benefit of OPS and the contributory model of NPS.
    • Assured Pension: 50% of the average basic pay drawn in the last 12 months before retirement, with minimum 25 years of service.
    • Minimum Pension: ₹10,000/month assured after 10 years of service.
    • Family Pension: 60% of pension last drawn, payable to spouse on retiree’s death.
    • Contributions: Employee contributes 10% of basic pay + Dearness Allowances (DA); govt contributes 10% + an additional 8.5% towards a pooled corpus.
    • Lump Sum at Retirement: 1/10th of last pay + DA for every completed six months of service, in addition to gratuity.
    • Inflation Indexation: DA-linked relief on pensions, tied to CPI-IW.
    • Flexibility: Employees may choose between NPS and UPS, but once shifted, re-entry into UPS is not allowed.

    Difference between OPS, NPS and UPS:

    Old Pension Scheme (OPS) National Pension System (NPS) Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)
    Type Defined Benefit Defined Contribution (market-linked) Hybrid (Defined + Contribution)
    Employee Contribution None 10% of Basic + DA 10% of Basic + DA
    Govt Contribution Entire burden on govt 14% of Basic + DA 10% + 8.5% pooled corpus
    Assured Pension 50% of last drawn pay + DA None; depends on market returns 50% of avg. basic pay (last 12 months)
    Minimum Pension Not fixed, but effectively higher None ₹10,000 after 10 years’ service
    Family Pension 50% of pension last drawn Depends on accumulated corpus 60% of pension last drawn
    Lump Sum Commutation of up to 40% pension (reduces monthly pension) 60% withdrawal of accumulated corpus at retirement Lump sum = 1/10th of last pay + DA for every 6 months of service; pension unaffected
    Indexation (DA link) Full DA linked Market-driven returns; no DA link DA-linked inflation relief
    Fiscal Burden High, unfunded Lower, market-based Moderate (partially funded + assured)

     

    [UPSC 2021] With reference to casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements:

    1. All casual workers are entitled to Employees Provident Fund coverage.

    2. All casual workers are entitled to regular working hours and overtime payment.

    3. The government can, by notification, specify that an establishment or industry shall pay wages only through its bank account.

    Which of the above statements are correct?

    Options: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only* (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3

     

  • Electronic System Design and Manufacturing Sector – M-SIPS, National Policy on Electronics, etc.

    PLI Scheme for White Goods

    Why in the News?

    The Centre has announced reopening of the application window for the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods, following the strong response and success of earlier rounds.

    Note: White goods refer to large household appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners, so named because they were traditionally white.

    About the PLI Scheme for White Goods:

    • Objective: To create a complete component ecosystem for ACs and LED lights, integrating India into global supply chains and boosting domestic manufacturing.
    • Approval: Cleared by the Union Cabinet in April 2021; implemented by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
    • Duration: Implemented over seven years (FY 2021–22 to FY 2028–29) with a total outlay of ₹6,238 crore.
    • Incentives: Provides 4–6% incentive on incremental turnover (over base year 2019–20) for both domestic sales and exports, applicable for five years to eligible companies.
    • Eligibility:
      • Applicant must be a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013.
      • Eligibility depends on achieving threshold levels of incremental sales and investments.
      • Entities availing benefits under any other PLI scheme for the same products are not eligible.
    • Beneficiaries So Far: 83 companies with committed investment of ₹10,406 crore have been approved under the scheme, covering AC and LED components across the entire value chain.
    • Employment and Exports: Expected to create jobs, expand exports, and enhance self-reliance in components that were earlier imported.
    [UPSC 2023] Consider the following statements:

    Statement I: India accounts for 3.2% of global exports of goods.
    Statement II: Many local companies and some foreign companies operating in India have taken advantage of India’s ‘Production-linked Incentive’ scheme.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
    (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
    (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
    (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
    (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct *

     

  • Festivals, Dances, Theatre, Literature, Art in News

    [pib] Gyan Bharatam Mission

    Why in the News?

    The Ministry of Culture has launched the ‘Gyan Bharatam’, a landmark national initiative dedicated to preserving, digitising, and disseminating India’s manuscript heritage.

    About Gyan Bharatam Mission:

    • Launch: A national initiative by the Ministry of Culture to preserve, digitise, and disseminate India’s manuscript heritage.
    • Scheme Type: Approved as a Central Sector Scheme (2024–31) with an outlay of ₹482.85 crore.
    • Background: Builds on the National Mission for Manuscripts (2003), which documented 44.07 lakh manuscripts in the Kriti Sampada repository.
    • Vision: Integrates tradition with modern technology (AI, cloud systems, digital archives) to safeguard manuscripts as living knowledge resources.
    • Philosophy: Linked to PM’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision, positioning India as Vishwa Guru by combining heritage with innovation.

    Key Features:

    • Identification & Documentation: Establishment of Manuscript Resource Centres (MRCs) for systematic registration across India.
    • Conservation & Restoration: Strengthening Manuscript Conservation Centres (MCCs) for preventive and curative preservation using scientific techniques.
    • Digitisation & Repository: Large-scale digitisation with AI-based Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR), microfilming, and creation of a National Digital Repository accessible worldwide.
    • Youth & Public Engagement: Programs like Gyan-Setu AI Innovation Challenge to involve youth, start-ups, and researchers in heritage innovation.
    [UPSC 2008] Recently, the manuscripts of which one of the following have been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register?

    Options: (a) Abhidhamma Pitaka (b) Mahabharata (c) Ramayana (d) Rig Veda*

     

  • Electronic System Design and Manufacturing Sector – M-SIPS, National Policy on Electronics, etc.

    [pib] Incentive Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Recycling

    Why in the News?

    The Union Cabinet approved a ₹1,500 crore Incentive Scheme to promote recycling of critical minerals from secondary sources such as e-waste and battery scrap.

    About Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme:

    • Launch: Approved under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM).
    • Outlay: ₹1,500 crore over 6 years (FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31).
    • Objective: Build domestic recycling capacity for critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earths) from secondary sources.
    • Rationale: Provides a near-term solution to supply chain challenges as mining projects require long lead times.
    • Targets:
      • 270 kilotonnes annual recycling capacity.
      • 40 kilotonnes minerals yield per year.
      • ₹8,000 crore investment mobilised.
      • ~70,000 jobs created.

    Key Features:

    • Beneficiaries: Large recyclers, small/new recyclers, start-ups; one-third funds reserved for small/new entrants.
    • Feedstock Sources: E-waste, lithium-ion battery scrap, catalytic converters, other industrial scrap.
    • Coverage: Support for new units, as well as expansion, modernisation, and diversification of existing plants.
    • Capex Subsidy: 20% subsidy on plant & machinery for timely commissioning; reduced rates for delays.
    • Opex Subsidy: Tied to incremental sales over FY 2025–26 base year.
      • 40% subsidy released in FY 2026–27.
      • 60% subsidy released in FY 2030–31.
    • Incentive Caps:
      • Large entities: ₹50 crore cap (₹10 crore max for opex).
      • Small entities: ₹25 crore cap (₹5 crore max for opex).
    • Eligibility Restriction: Only for firms engaged in actual mineral extraction, not just intermediate “black mass” processing.
    [UPSC 2021] Consider the following statements:

    I. India has joined the Minerals Security Partnership as a member.

    II. India is a resource-rich country in all the 30 critical minerals that it has identified.

    III. The Parliament in 2023 has amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 empowering the Central Government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite license for certain critical minerals.

    Which of the statements given above are correct?

    Options: (a) I and II only (b) II and III only (c) I and III only* (d) I, II and III

     

  • MGNREGA Scheme

    20 Years of MGNREGS

    Why in the News?

    On the 20th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, concerns were raised over chronic underfunding of the scheme during the past decade.

    About MGNREGS:

    • Overview: MGNREGS is a rights-based Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched under the MGNREGA Act of 2005 to ensure the Right to Work for rural households.
    • Origins:
      • The idea of employment guarantee in India began with Maharashtra’s pilot, Employment Guarantee Scheme (MEGS), in 1965 under the Vasantrao Naik government.
      • At the national level, the idea was first proposed in 1991 by then PM P. V. Narasimha Rao and later enacted in 2005.
    • Employment Guarantee: It provides 100 days of wage employment per year to any adult willing to do unskilled manual labour in rural India.
    • Legal Obligation: It is the first law in India that imposes a legal duty on the government to provide employment and compensate for non-compliance.
    • Development Goal: The scheme aims to promote livelihood security, inclusive growth, and rural development.

    Key Features:

    • Statutory Right: Employment under MGNREGS is a legal entitlement, not just a welfare scheme.
    • Eligibility: Any rural adult aged 18 or above can apply and must be offered work within 15 days.
    • Proximity and Wages: Work must be provided within 5 km of the applicant’s residence with minimum wage, and delays attract compensation.
    • Unemployment Allowance: If work is not provided on time, the state must pay an allowance.
    • Demand-Driven Model: The scheme is worker-initiated, requiring the government to respond to demand.
    • Transparency and Audits: Regular social audits and online updates ensure accountability in job cards, muster rolls, and fund use.
    • Local Implementation: It is decentralised, led by Gram Panchayats, with support from block and state officials, and centrally funded.
    • Women’s Inclusion: At least one-third of beneficiaries must be women, enhancing gender equity.
    • Sustainable Assets: Projects focus on durable rural infrastructure like ponds, roads, canals, and plantations.
    [UPSC 2006] Consider the following statements in respect of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005:

    1. The Act provides 100 days of employment to households as a fundamental right.

    2. Women are given priority such that half of the employment seekers are women.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 *

     

  • Parliament – Sessions, Procedures, Motions, Committees etc

    [pib] Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)

    Why in the News?

    The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) recently organized a national workshop on the e-SAKSHI web portal and mobile app for the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

    About MPLADS:

    • Overview: A Central Sector Scheme, launched in 1993, to empower MPs to recommend developmental works in their constituencies, focusing on durable community assets addressing local needs.
    • Administration: Initially under the Ministry of Rural Development; Since 1994, managed by MoSPI.
    • Implementation:
      • State-level nodal department supervises implementation.
      • District authorities sanction projects, release funds, and ensure execution.
    • Funding:
      • Each MP gets ₹5 crore per year (since 2011–12).
      • Disbursed by MoSPI in two instalments of ₹2.5 crore each to district authorities.
      • Funds are non-lapsable i.e. carried forward if unutilized.
    • Targeted Allocation: Minimum 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs.
    • Special Provisions:
      • Up to ₹25 lakh annually can be spent outside constituency/state for national unity projects.
      • Up to ₹1 crore can be allocated nationwide during severe natural calamities.
    • Eligible Projects:
      • Durable community assets (e.g., libraries, community halls, ambulances, sports infrastructure, sanitation).
      • MPLADS funds can be converged with MGNREGS or integrated with Khelo India for asset creation.
      • Support allowed on lands of registered societies/trusts (3+ years old) engaged in welfare work.
      • Prohibited for societies/trusts where the MP/family are office-bearers.
    • Transparency Measures:
      • Plaque with MP’s name and project details must be installed at project sites.
      • Project details listed in district offices, MPLADS website, and accessible via RTI.
    • Monitoring & Audit:
      • District authorities inspect at least 10% of projects annually.
      • Funds audited by statutory auditors.
      • Regular review meetings at state and central levels.
    • e-SAKSHI platform: Enables MPs to digitally recommend, monitor, and track MPLADS projects, improving transparency, accountability, and efficiency in fund utilization.
    [UPSC 2020] With reference to the funds under Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), which of the following statements are correct?

    1. MPLADS funds must be used to create durable assets like physical infrastructure for health, education, etc.

    2. A specified portion of each MP’s ‘fund must benefit SC/ST populations.

    3. MPLADS funds are sanctioned on yearly basis and the unused funds cannot be carried forward to the next year.

    4. The district authority must inspect at least 10% of all works under implementation every year.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    Options: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 and 4 only (c) 1, 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 4 only*