10 Best Government Schemes in India You Should Know About

The Indian government has rolled out several schemes for the benefit of its citizens, be it the middle class or underprivileged sections of society. With elections around the corner, politicians are rolling out even more such schemes to woo voters and gain their support. In this article, we have come up with the 10 best government schemes in India that you should know about so that you can plan your financial goals accordingly.

1) The National Health Protection Scheme

The government launched a health protection scheme, National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS), that covers more than 100 million poor and vulnerable families. The insurance covers secondary and tertiary care hospitalization services for over 10.4 crore poor and vulnerable families living below poverty line (BPL) with a coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year. It has been started from April 2018 at a cost of Rs. 20000 crores for covering treatment of diseases such as cancer, cardiac ailments, etc. This will be implemented across 650 districts in India by 2020.

2) The National Health Policy

On Sep 23, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a healthcare scheme called Ayushman Bharat Yojana (ABY) or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). The primary aim of PMJAY is to provide insurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. It will be implemented through empanelled hospitals of both public and private sector. Under ABY, more than 10 crore families will get benefit from about 1.5 lakh government and private hospitals across India. The government has also decided to give financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each under Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) for accidental death and disability respectively. More than 4 crore people have already enrolled under these schemes.

3) National Medical Commission Bill 2018

The bill to replace MCI and create a new body was passed in Lok Sabha on Thursday. The Medical Council of India is an autonomous body constituted under Section 3 of Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, with its principal office at New Delhi and State Offices located at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Guwahati. With effect from 3 November 2016, all functions of Medical Council of India are to be discharged by National Medical Commission (NMC) which has also assumed all assets and liabilities of MCI. NMC shall consist of Chairman, Vice-Chairman and 10 members. Of these 10 members, five will be elected by registered medical practitioners from amongst themselves; one will be nominated by Central Government; one will be nominated by State Government; one will be representative of Dental Council of India and another will represent pharmacists appointed after consultation with pharmacy councils. NMC may co-opt any number of persons having special knowledge or practical experience in matters relating to medicine as members thereof but not exceeding ten such co-opted members.

4) Ayushman Bharat Scheme

This is a health care scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, 2018. The Ayushman Bharat scheme promises financial protection for poor and vulnerable families for secondary and tertiary healthcare through an insurance of Rs 5 lakh per family annually. If you belong to one of these categories and would like to avail benefits under it, you can apply for a beneficiary card through your respective state government portal.

5) Smart Cities Mission

Smart Cities Mission is an ambitious endeavor launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a vision to improve urban living conditions and enhance economic opportunities. The mission seeks to leverage technology to make cities more efficient, reliable, sustainable and inclusive. Through Smart Cities Mission (SCM), India aims to develop 100 smart cities with focus on clean energy, intelligent transport systems (ITS), solid waste management and rejuvenation of water bodies. To start SCM implementation in your city or ward you should contact your respective MLA or MP directly. A detailed guide for implementing SCM at local level can be found here.

6) Rural Electrification Scheme

Launched in July 2005, RE-Scheme aims to electrify all villages across states by 2009. The target has been extended to 2010 and under its new name – Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) – it is estimated that 99% of all rural households will be provided with access to electricity by 2012. Currently, over 75,000 villages are being connected every year under RGGVY.

7) JAM (Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar, Mobile)

Launched by PM Modi on August 28, 2014, JAM aims to provide a bank account for every household in India, along with an Aadhaar number. The unique 12-digit Aadhaar number provides a digital identity and helps people open bank accounts more easily. The JAM scheme is aimed at ensuring financial inclusion and improving access to government schemes for all citizens. The other two aspects of JAM are Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and mobile telephony. Under DBT, government subsidies will be transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts instead of handing out cash. Mobile telephony will help citizens avail banking services through their phones. This means that even those who don’t have a smartphone or internet can still use banking services through their mobile phones.

8) PM Awas Yojana (Urban & Rural)

The government wants every Indian to own a house by 2022. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme was launched on 25th June 2015, with an aim to provide affordable housing for all. It consists of two parts - PMAY-Urban and PMAY-Rural, with financial assistance ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 crores. According to official data, 7 crore people have already benefited from it till now! So, how does it work? Read below to find out:

1. Pre-construction Activities 

2. Post Construction Activities 

3. Documents Required 

4. Other Useful Links 

5. What's New? 

6. Find More on PIB

9) Swachh Bharat Mission

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Swachh Bharat Mission aims to create a Clean India by 2 October 2019. This mission is made possible with government funding and support from corporate sectors and NGOs. The common citizens are provided with necessary resources and materials, such as dustbins, sanitary napkins, and disposable bags that could be used during travel to help keep environment clean. On 15 June 2014, India launched an official mobile app for android users named ‘MyGov’ which helps individuals report civic issues like garbage piles or bad roads on their localities and also encourages people to volunteer for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Over 1 million people have signed up for it since its launch! One of its major schemes has been segregation of waste at source. As per an estimate by Mr.

10) Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin )

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-G) is a national rural housing scheme to provide ‘Housing for All’ by 2022, as per National Housing Policy 2015. This scheme has been launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 July 2015 from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The target set under PMAY-G is to build 2 crore houses over next five years. The cost of each house will be Rs 1.20 lakh and it will be provided at an interest rate of 6% per annum to beneficiaries belonging to EWS/LIG categories having land holdings up to 2 hectares and 3 hectares respectively. For SC/ST category beneficiaries, there will be no upper limit for land holding and they will get loan at 4% interest rate per annum.