10 Government Schemes You Didn't Know Existed

If you’re like most people, the only thing you know about government schemes is that there are too many of them and they’re all designed to siphon money out of your wallet. However, if you look past their bad reputation, you can find some awesome benefits designed specifically for your needs as an individual or as a business owner or manager. In this post, we’ll cover ten government schemes you didn’t know existed!

Ujjwala Yojana

The Ujjwala Yojana is a scheme that was launched in 2016 by the Indian government. The scheme provides free LPG connections to women from below poverty line households. As of 2019, over 8 million women have benefited from the scheme. The scheme has not only helped improve the quality of life for women, but also created employment opportunities for women in the LPG sector. It aims to provide universal access to clean cooking fuel.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is a government scheme that was launched in 2015. The scheme provides financial assistance to eligible beneficiaries for the construction of their own homes. To be eligible for the scheme, beneficiaries must belong to certain income categories. The scheme has helped many families in India to achieve their dream of owning a home. Through this scheme, around 8.5 million houses have been built so far and it's expected that this number will go up to 10 million by 2020. The fact that it's backed by the government also means that it's easier for people who don't have much savings to take advantage of this opportunity.

MUDRA Scheme

The Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd. (MUDRA) is a refinancing institution being set up by the Government of India for development of micro units. Under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), collateral free loans will be provided to small businesses, which will help them expand their operations and create new jobs. The scheme is expected to benefit over 5 crore small businesses in the country. They can avail loans ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakhs. 

One member of every family in rural areas shall be covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY). It provides a one-time coverage of Rs 2 lakhs against any risk arising out of death due to any reason whatsoever.

SBM (Swachh Bharat Mission)

The Swachh Bharat Mission is a nationwide campaign by the Government of India to clean up the streets, roads and infrastructure of India's cities, towns, and rural areas. The mission was launched on October 2, 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As of March 2019, over 90% of Indian villages have been declared open defecation free.

Fasal Bima Yojana

The Fasal Bima Yojana is a government-sponsored crop insurance scheme that covers farmers against crop loss due to natural calamities. The scheme was launched in 2016 and has since benefitted over 50 million farmers. Under the scheme, farmers pay a premium of 2% for rabi crops and 5% for kharif crops, and the government pays the remaining amount. In the event of a crop loss, farmers are compensated up to 75% of the sum insured.

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana

The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is a government-backed life insurance scheme that provides accidental death and disability cover of Rs. 2 lakhs for a yearly premium of just Rs. 12. The scheme is open to all citizens between the ages of 18 and 70, and covers both natural and man-made calamities.

Jandhan Yojana

The Jandhan Yojana is a government scheme that was launched in 2015. The scheme provides financial inclusion for the unbanked population of India. Under the scheme, bank accounts are opened for every citizen of India who does not have one. The account comes with a debit card and an accidental insurance cover of Rs. 1 lakh. The scheme has been successful in reaching its target audience and has helped in the financial inclusion of millions of people in India. It is considered to be the world's largest such exercise.

Soil Health Card Scheme

The Soil Health Card Scheme is a government initiative that aims to help farmers improve the quality of their soil. The scheme provides farmers with a card that contains information on the health of their soil, as well as advice on how to improve it. The scheme is free to join, and farmers can get their soil tested at any government-approved laboratory. Farmers can then use this information to adapt their farming practices accordingly.

PNB MetLife Insurance Scheme

The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is a life insurance scheme that was launched in 2015. It is open to all citizens of India between the ages of 18 and 50. Under this scheme, the premium for a life insurance policy is just Rs. 330 per year. The scheme provides a cover of Rs. 2 lakhs in case of death due to any reason. 

The Atal Pension Yojana is a pension scheme for the unorganized sector workers. The monthly pension under this scheme ranges from Rs. 1000-6000 depending on the age of the subscriber and his contribution to his account during his working years. 

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is an initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a vision of cleanliness across India by October 2019, Gandhi Jayanti. In order to support this cause, telecom operator Airtel has come up with Swachh Airtel campaign where it will contribute Rs.

Kisan Vikas Patra - A Depositor's Savings Scheme

The Kisan Vikas Patra is a deposit scheme launched by the Indian government in 2014. The scheme is targeted at small farmers and rural depositors. The aim of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to small farmers and help them access credit. The scheme offers a interest rate of 7.6% per annum, which is higher than the prevailing interest rates on savings account deposits. Under the scheme, a depositor can invest a minimum of Rs. 1,000 and a maximum of Rs. 1 lakh. However, there are also some eligibility criteria to be fulfilled before one can become eligible for this scheme. These include being a resident Indian citizen with a valid bank account and Aadhaar card as well as owning agricultural land measuring up to five acres.