Key Central Government Policies and Their Impact on Citizens

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana is a flagship financial inclusion program launched in 2014. It aims to provide banking facilities to every household in India, with a focus on the unbanked population. The scheme offers zero-balance accounts, RuPay debit cards, and overdraft facilities to eligible individuals.

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), also known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

The Make in India initiative was launched in 2014 with the aim of transforming India into a global manufacturing hub. It seeks to attract foreign investment, promote domestic manufacturing, and boost exports. The policy offers incentives and reforms to create a conducive environment for businesses to operate and grow.

The Atal Pension Yojana is a pension scheme launched in 2015, targeting workers in the unorganized sector. It provides a guaranteed minimum pension to eligible individuals after the age of 60. The scheme is designed to provide social security and financial stability to workers who may not have access to formal pension plans.

The Swachh Bharat Mission (Clean India Mission) was launched in 2014 with the goal of achieving an open defecation-free India by 2019. The mission focuses on constructing toilets in rural areas, promoting hygiene awareness, and changing sanitation behaviors. It aims to improve public health and reduce the incidence of diseases caused by poor sanitation.

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched in 2016 with the aim of reducing indoor air pollution caused by traditional cooking fuels. The scheme provides free LPG connections to eligible households, particularly those below the poverty line, to encourage the use of clean cooking fuel. This helps improve air quality and reduces the risk of respiratory illnesses.

The Digital India initiative was launched in 2015 with the aim of transforming India into a digitally empowered society. It focuses on providing digital infrastructure, digital literacy, and digital services to citizens. The policy seeks to bridge the digital divide and ensure equitable access to information and communication technologies.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a comprehensive housing scheme that includes various components to address the housing needs of different segments of the population. It provides interest subsidy on home loans, promotes the construction of new housing units, and supports slum redevelopment projects. The scheme aims to provide affordable housing to eligible beneficiaries, particularly those from economically weaker sections and low-income groups.

The National Health Mission (NHM) is a comprehensive healthcare program launched in 2013 with the aim of improving the health status of the population, particularly the vulnerable and marginalized sections. It focuses on improving maternal and child health, reducing infant mortality rate, and promoting universal health coverage. NHM provides financial and technical support to states and union territories to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, expand access to essential health services, and address health disparities.

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a flagship program of the central government that aims to provide free and compulsory elementary education to all children in the age group of 6-14 years. It focuses on universal enrollment, retention, and completion of elementary education. SSA provides financial assistance to states and union territories to improve infrastructure, recruit and train teachers, and provide textbooks and other learning materials.

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to unconnected habitations in rural areas. Habitations with a population of 250 or more, as per the 2011 census, are eligible for coverage under PMGSY. The scheme provides financial assistance to states and union territories for the construction and maintenance of rural roads, bridges, and culverts.

The National Skill Development Mission (NSDM) aims to skill and upskill the workforce in India to meet the demands of the changing economy. The mission has set a target of skilling 100 million people by 2022. NSDM provides financial assistance to states and union territories to establish skill development centers, train trainers, and provide certification to skilled individuals.

The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) provides loans to micro and small enterprises to support their growth and development. The scheme offers loans up to 10 lakh rupees to eligible borrowers. PMMY has three loan categories: Shishu (up to 50,000 rupees), Kishore (50,000 to 5 lakh rupees), and Tarun (5 lakh to 10 lakh rupees).

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) provides health insurance coverage to eligible beneficiaries, including families living below the poverty line. The scheme offers an annual coverage limit of 5 lakh rupees per family for hospitalization expenses. PMJAY covers a wide range of medical and surgical procedures, including hospitalization, day care procedures, and pre- and post-hospitalization expenses.

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) provides crop insurance coverage to farmers against crop losses due to natural calamities, pests, and diseases. The scheme offers a maximum sum insured of 25,000 rupees per hectare for notified crops. PMFBY also provides post-harvest losses coverage for certain crops.