Civics Polity · General Awareness

Indian Government Initiatives

3,718 Questions

Indian government initiatives cover national schemes for healthcare, education, rural housing, and cultural conservation. Test takers must understand the objectives and target demographics of various central and state programs. This is a highly scoring area in the general awareness section of SSC, banking, and PSC exams.

National health missionsEducation and disability schemesRural housing initiativesRenewable energy projectsCultural heritage policiesWildlife conservation programsFinancial assistance schemes

Indian Government Initiatives Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the Aam Admi Bima Yojna?

  1. It is a scheme for the rural landless households, wherein the head of rural landless families or one earning member in each such family will be insured.
  2. The premium under the scheme is Rs. 300 for natural death and accidental death; and Rs. 200 for disability due to accident and permanent total disability due to accident.
  3. Funding pattern of the yojna will be equally shared by the Central and the State governments.

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 1 and 3

  3. Only 1

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

It is a scheme for the rural landless households, wherein the head of rural landless families or one earning member in such a family will be insured.

The premium under the scheme is Rs. 200 for natural death, accident death, disability due to accident, and permanent total disability due to accident.

Funding Pattern: 50% Central share and 50% State share

Multiple choice

Which of the following is/are correct about the Mid Day Meal Programme of the Government of India?

  1. Being run by the Ministry of Women & Child Development, the programme aims to encourage children from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend school regularly and help them concentrate in school activities.
  2. Improve the nutritional status of children in classes one to seven in government schools and government aided schools.
  3. It also provides nutritional support to students in drought- ridden areas throughout summer vacation.

  1. Only 2

  2. Only 3

  3. Only 1 & 3

  4. Only 2 & 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is wrong: Mid Day Meal Programme is being run by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Statement 2 is correct: Though earlier it covered only the children in classes one to five in government schools and government aided schools, but in October 2007 the scheme was revised to cover children in the upper primary section as well i.e. classes VI to VII. Statement 3 is correct: One of the objectives of the programme is to provide nutritional support to students in drought- ridden areas throughout summer vacation.
Multiple choice

Which of the following statements about the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is/are correct?

  1. Being run by the Ministry of Health, the mission was initially mooted for 5 years (2005-2010).
  2. Apart from improving healthcare delivery across rural India, it also aims at improving hygiene and sanitation infrastructure.
  3. It also provides for training of local residents as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA).

  1. Only 1 and 2

  2. Only 2

  3. Only 2 and 3

  4. 1, 2 and 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is wrong as NRHM is a health program for improving healthcare delivery across rural India. The mission, initially mooted for 7 years (2005-2012), is run by the Ministry of Health.

Statement 2 is perfectly correct. Statement 3 is also correct as NRHM proposes a number of new mechanisms for healthcare delivery including training local residents as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and the Janani Suraksha Yojana.

Multiple choice

To generate employment in rural areas, a programme named SFURTI was launched all over the country. By which ministry is this programme governed?

  1. Ministry of Tourism

  2. Ministry of Human Resource Development

  3. Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises

  4. Ministry of Information and Communication Technology
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India introduced SFURTI (Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries) programme all over India to generate employment in rural areas. The main objective of the scheme is to provide employment to rural artisans.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)?

(1) It aims at the universalization of elementary education. (2) The target is to provide free education to children aged 6-14 as mandated by the 85th Amendment to the Constitution of India. (3) The programme was pioneered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (4) SSA is being implemented in partnership with State Governments to cover the entire country.

  1. Only (1)

  2. Only (1), (2) and (3)

  3. Only (1), (3) and (4)

  4. Only (1) and (3)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All Movement) is a programme by the Government of India aimed at the universalization of elementary education "in a time bound manner", as mandated by the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India, providing free education to children aged 6-14 (estimated to be 205 million in number in 2001) . The programme was pioneered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. SSA is being implemented in partnership with State Governments to cover the entire country and addresses the needs of 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations.

Multiple choice

Which of the following schemes are covered under the direct cash transfer scheme launched by the Government of India on 1st January, 2013?

(1) MNREGA (2) Midday Meal (3) Dhanlaxmi Scheme (4) Janani Suraksha Yojna (5) Post Matric Scholarship for SC

  1. Only (1), (3) and (4)

  2. Only (1) and (4)

  3. Only (1), (3), (4) and (5)

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The government rolled out its ambitious scheme of transferring cash to beneficiaries of select schemes in 20 districts on 1st January, 2013, but food, fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be covered in the initial phase. Apart from the other schemes like MNREGA, Dhanlaxmi Scheme, etc. the beneficiaries of four more schemes - Post Matric Scholarship for SC, Post Matric Scholarship for OBC, Indira Gandhi Matritava Sahyog Yojna and Janani Suraksha Yojna - have been brought under the new cash transfer mode.

Multiple choice

Bharat Nirman is a pan-India plan for creating basic rural infrastructure. Which of the following are the components of the plan?

  1. Road connectivity
  2. Sanitation facilities
  3. Water supply
  4. Telecom connectivity

  1. Only 1 and 3

  2. Only 1, 2 and 3

  3. Only 1, 3 and 4

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Bharat Nirman is a pan-India plan for creating basic rural infrastructure. It comprises projects on irrigation, roads (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana), housing (Indira Awaas Yojana), water supply, electrification (Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana) and telecommunication connectivity.

Multiple choice

Aiming at equitable socio-economic development, the Microfinance sector has grown rapidly over the past few decades. Today, it has evolved into a vibrant industry exhibiting a variety of business models. Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in India exist as

  1. NGOs (registered as societies or trusts)
  2. Section 25 companies
  3. Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)

  1. Only 1 and 2

  2. Only 1

  3. Only 1 and 3

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

(MFIs) in India exist as NGOs (registered as societies or trusts), Section 25 companies and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).

Under Indian law, 3 legal forms exist for Non-Profit organizations:

1. Trusts 2. Societies 3. Section 25 companies

Due to better laws, Section 25 companies have the most reliable strongest organizational structure. Section 25 companies are those companies which are formed for the sole purpose of promoting commerce, art, science, religion, charity or any other useful object and have been granted a licence by the central government recognizing them as such.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements regarding the Bachat Lamp Yojana:

  1. Bachat Lamp Yojana is a program to reduce the cost of compact fluorescent lamps sold to consumers.
  2. The difference in cost will be covered by the sale of Certified Emission Rights under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol.
  3. The program is implemented by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.

Which of the given statements is/are correct?

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 1 & 2

  3. Only 1 & 3

  4. 1, 2 & 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Bachat Lamp Yojana is a program by the government of India to reduce the cost of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs, i.e., energy saving lights) sold to consumers. It aims to deliver CFLs at the cost of normal lightbulbs.

Statement 2 is correct: The difference in cost will be covered by the sale of Certified Emission Rights under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. Statement 3 is incorrect: The program is implemented through the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) by the India's Ministry of Power.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the full form of PURA?

  1. Perfect Urban Rural Association

  2. Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas

  3. Preferential and Uniform Re-enforcement Act

  4. Programme on Urban Rural Association

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Full form of PURA is Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas

Multiple choice

India had taken a pledge towards strengthening the institutional mechanism for biodiversity conservation in the country with a sum of $10 million announced by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard. The name of this pledge is

  1. Rio Pledge

  2. Doha Pledge

  3. Hyderabad Pledge

  4. Delhi Pledge

  5. Kyoto Pledge

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

During the 11th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Hyderabad in 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the Hyderabad Pledge committing $10 million to strengthen institutional mechanisms for biodiversity conservation in India and developing countries. This was a significant moment for global biodiversity efforts, hosted by India.

Multiple choice

Choose the correct statement(s):

  1. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), initially mooted for 7 years (2005-2012), is run by the Ministry of Health.
  2. The mission has a special focus on 20 states.
  3. NFHS-II (National Family Health Survey-II) conducted a study on four major diseases prevailing in India, i.e., asthma, tuberculosis, jaundice, malaria.

  1. Only 1

  2. 1 and 3

  3. 2 and 3

  4. 1, 2, and 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The mission has a special focus on 18 states.