Government Schemes definition

The Government has launched numerous schemes for the social and economic welfare of the citizens of the nation. Government schemes can be defined as a plan, design or program formulated by the government for the welfare of the people. The Government launches various schemes from time to time having a specific objective. The majority of these government schemes are designed to help the economically deprived, rural, or vulnerable people in society. 

The beneficiaries of these government schemes mostly comprise of economically backward or weaker sections of the society and low-income families. The Objective of Union Government Schemes is to uplift the poor section of the society, improve the quality of life, development of rural and backward areas, provide financial security, education and training to the vulnerable section of the nation, provide financial assistance to women, small business and weaker segment of the society and promoting small scale business by providing entrepreneurial and training facilities.

Classification of Government Schemes

The government schemes can be divided into three categories:

  1. Centrally Sponsored Schemes– These schemes are funded and executed by both central and state governments in different proportions. Currently,30 centrally sponsored schemes are introduced by the government which are subdivided into two categories:-
    1. The core of the core schemes – There is 6 Core of core schemes launched by the government which majorly includes the Umbrella Scheme for Development of Scheduled Caste, the Umbrella Programme for Development of Scheduled Tribes and a few others.
    2. Core Schemes – Currently there are 29 centrally sponsored core schemes which majorly comprises of Green Revolution, White Revolution, Jobs and Skill Development and many others.
  2. Central Sector Schemes– These government welfare schemes are funded and executed directly by the Centre only. Different Union Ministries and departments are implementing them for the welfare of the Indian citizens. Crop Insurance Schemes, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, Interest Subsidy for Short Term Credit to Farmers, Crop Science, Feedstock, Metro Projects, Police Infrastructure, Border Infrastructure and Management, National River Conservation are few examples of Central Sector Schemes.
  3.  State Government Schemes-The Schemes that are planned, funded and executed by the State government only are known as State Government Schemes such as Chief Minister’s Krishi Rinn Yojana, Chief Minister’s Adarsh Gram Yojana, Arunachal Pradesh and various others.

The Finance Minister of India has released the Union Budget 2021-22 on February 1, 2021 and made new announcements regarding the different government schemes in India. The government has announced the Atmanirbhar package this year which accounts for 27.1 lakh crores to deal with the impact of Covid-19. In 2020, a relief package amounting to Rs 1.70 lakh crore was announced by the government to tackle the widespread difficulties caused by the pandemic. 

Purpose of Government Schemes

  1. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana – Jan Dhan Yojana Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28th August 2014.  The main objective of this scheme is to enable affordable access to financial services like bank accounts, credit, insurance and pensions to the citizens of India. As of December 8 2021, the total number of accounts opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana stood at 44.05 crores with a total balance of approximately Rs 1,47,812 crores. In terms of State performance, Uttar Pradesh holds the top position with the highest number of bank accounts under this scheme followed by Bihar.
  2. Make in India– Make in India is a government initiative, launched under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry . The main objective of this initiative is to make India a global manufacturing hub by motivating domestic as well as multi-national companies to manufacture their products within the country. Encouraged by the Government Make in India Scheme, on December 22 2021, HP has announced that it will start manufacturing devices in India.
  3. Swachh Bharat Mission– Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on 2nd October 2014 to accelerate the efforts to achieve sanitation coverage across the nation. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, all the States and Union territories have reported themselves as “open-defecation free” (ODF) by 2nd October 2019. Phase 1 of this mission has successfully ended and Phase 2 has initiated with the objective of providing interventions for the safe management of solid and liquid waste management across the nation.
  4. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao– Beti Bachao Beti Padhao government scheme was launched in 2015 under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. This scheme was launched to address the declining child sex ratio and other issues related to women empowerment. This mission is a joint venture of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Human Resource Development to enable girls’ education and effective enforcement of the scheme.

Government Schemes announced in Union Budget 2021-2022

  1. Mega Investment Textile Parks (MITRA) Scheme– The government has announced Mega Investment Textile Parks Scheme to empower the textile industry to become competitive across the world, attract large investments, and increase employment generation and exports.
  2. Mission Poshan 2.0 Scheme– To prevent further deterioration of nutritional parameters, Mission Poshan 2.0 was initiated in February 2021. Integrated Child Development Services, Supplementary Nutrition Program, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, and National Creche Scheme are all part of this scheme.
  3. Jal Jeevan Mission– Jal Jeevan Mission will start in 500 AMRUT cities for the universal supply of water and liquid waste management across the cities with 2.86 crore household tap connections.
  4. PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana– This scheme will increase the primary, secondary as well as tertiary healthcare facilities across the nation and construct new national institutions for the diagnosis and treatment of new and emerging ailments.