India’s central government operates hundreds of flagship welfare schemes across agriculture, housing, health, education, financial inclusion, women empowerment, and digital infrastructure — and the government schemes list is one of the highest-weightage topics in every major competitive exam.
This page covers 60+ must-know central government schemes with ministry, launch year, key objective, and target beneficiary — along with MCQs, flashcards, and memory tips for UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Railways, Banking Awareness, and State PSC exams. Special attention is given to year-of-launch traps, Urban vs Gramin variants, and the all-important MGNREGA Act distinction.
⚡ Quick Facts
- PM Jan Dhan Yojana (2014) — world’s largest financial inclusion programme; zero-balance accounts; 55+ crore accounts opened.
- PMAY has two variants: PMAY-Urban (2015, Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry) and PMAY-Gramin (2016, Rural Development Ministry).
- MGNREGA (2005) — 100 days wage employment as a legal right (Act of Parliament), not just a scheme. UPA government; Rural Development Ministry.
- Ayushman Bharat PMJAY (2018) — world’s largest govt-funded health insurance; ₹5 lakh per family per year.
- 2015 was the mega year — MUDRA, PMFBY, PMAY-U, PMKVY, Skill India, Soil Health Card, Beti Bachao, Sukanya Samriddhi, Digital India, Smart Cities, AMRUT all launched in 2015.
“PM Kisan was launched in 2014” — WRONG. PM-KISAN was launched in 2019. “PMAY was launched in 2014” — WRONG. PMAY-Urban = 2015; PMAY-Gramin = 2016. Major 2014 launches: Make in India, Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Jan Dhan Yojana. Also: MGNREGA is an ACT, not a scheme — the right to employment is legally enforceable. Swachh Bharat Urban = Housing Ministry; Gramin = Jal Shakti Ministry — different ministries! Most-Tested Traps
✅ My Progress Tracker
🏛️ Government Schemes in India — Complete List
| # ↕ | Scheme Name ↕ | Year ↕ | Ministry | Sector | Objective / Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MGNREGA | 2005 | Rural Development | Agriculture / Rural | 100 days guaranteed wage employment for rural households — a legal right (Act of Parliament) Hot |
| 2 | Kisan Credit Card (KCC) | 1998 | Agriculture | Agriculture | Short-term credit to farmers for agricultural and allied needs |
| 3 | Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) | 2005 | Health | Health | Cash assistance to pregnant women for institutional delivery; reduce maternal mortality |
| 4 | National Solar Mission (JNNSM) | 2010 | New & Renewable Energy | Energy | 100 GW solar capacity target; also called Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission |
| 5 | BharatNet | 2011 (Phase I) | Telecom | Digital | High-speed broadband (optical fibre) to all gram panchayats across India |
| 6 | Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) | 2008 | Labour | Health | Health cover for BPL families; predecessor to Ayushman Bharat PMJAY |
| 7 | National Health Mission (NHM) | 2013 | Health | Health | Strengthen public health delivery in rural and urban areas; includes NRHM and NUHM |
| 8 | Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya | 2004 | Education | Education | Residential schools for girls from SC/ST and minority communities at upper primary level |
| 9 | PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) | 2014 | Finance | Finance | Zero-balance bank accounts for unbanked citizens; world’s largest financial inclusion programme; 55+ crore accounts Hot |
| 10 | Make in India | 2014 | Commerce & Industry | Industry | Boost domestic manufacturing across 25 sectors; attract FDI Hot |
| 11 | Swachh Bharat Mission — Urban | 2014 | Housing & Urban Affairs | Housing / Sanitation | Open defecation free cities; solid waste management; Ministry: Housing & Urban Affairs Hot |
| 12 | Swachh Bharat Mission — Gramin | 2014 | Jal Shakti | Rural / Sanitation | Open defecation free villages; household toilets; Ministry: Jal Shakti (NOT Urban Affairs) Hot |
| 13 | Mission Indradhanush | 2014 | Health | Health | Full immunisation coverage for children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases |
| 14 | PM MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) | 2015 | Finance | Finance | Loans up to ₹20 lakh to micro businesses (Shishu/Kishore/Tarun/Tarun Plus); original limit ₹10 lakh, raised to ₹20 lakh in Budget 2024-25 Hot |
| 15 | PM Suraksha Bima Yojana | 2015 | Finance | Finance / Insurance | Accidental death insurance ₹2 lakh at just ₹20/year premium |
| 16 | PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana | 2015 | Finance | Finance / Insurance | Life insurance ₹2 lakh at ₹436/year premium; for ages 18–50 |
| 17 | Atal Pension Yojana (APY) | 2015 | Finance | Finance / Pension | Guaranteed pension scheme for unorganised sector workers; ₹1000–₹5000/month on retirement |
| 18 | Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana | 2015 | Finance | Women & Child | Small savings scheme for girl child (under 10); highest interest among small savings; matures at age 21 Hot |
| 19 | Beti Bachao Beti Padhao | 2015 | Women & Child Development | Women & Child | Address declining child sex ratio; promote girl education; launched from Panipat, Haryana Hot |
| 20 | One Stop Centre Scheme (Sakhi) | 2015 | Women & Child Development | Women & Child | Comprehensive support to women affected by violence (domestic, sexual, or otherwise) |
| 21 | PM Awas Yojana — Urban (PMAY-U) | 2015 | Housing & Urban Affairs | Housing | “Housing for All” urban target; affordable housing; Ministry: Housing & Urban Affairs Hot |
| 22 | Smart Cities Mission | 2015 | Housing & Urban Affairs | Housing / Urban | 100 smart cities with sustainable urban infrastructure Hot |
| 23 | AMRUT | 2015 | Housing & Urban Affairs | Housing / Urban | Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation; water/sewage in 500 cities |
| 24 | HRIDAY | 2015 | Housing & Urban Affairs | Housing / Heritage | Heritage City Development & Augmentation Yojana; preserve and revitalise 12 heritage cities |
| 25 | Soil Health Card Scheme | 2015 | Agriculture | Agriculture | Soil nutrient status cards to farmers for proper fertiliser use; improve crop productivity |
| 26 | PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) | 2015 | Jal Shakti | Agriculture | Irrigation expansion; motto: “Har Khet Ko Pani, More Crop Per Drop” |
| 27 | Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) | 2015 | Agriculture | Agriculture | Promotion of organic farming; cluster-based certification approach |
| 28 | PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) | 2015 | Skill Development | Education / Skills | Free skill training and certification to youth across India; vocational qualifications |
| 29 | Skill India Mission | 2015 | Skill Development | Education / Skills | Train 40 crore Indians in various skills by 2022; umbrella for skill development initiatives |
| 30 | Digital India Mission | 2015 | Electronics & IT | Digital | Transform India into a digitally empowered society; e-governance, broadband, digital literacy Hot |
| 31 | FAME India | 2015 | Heavy Industries | Energy / Transport | Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of EVs; promote electric vehicles; Phase II ongoing |
| 32 | National Scholarship Portal | 2015 | Education | Education | Single-window platform for all government scholarships; SC/ST/minority/merit scholarships |
| 33 | PM Awas Yojana — Gramin (PMAY-G) | 2016 | Rural Development | Housing | Rural housing for homeless/kutcha house families; Ministry: Rural Development (≠ Urban Affairs) Hot |
| 34 | PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) | 2016 | Agriculture | Agriculture | Crop insurance for farmers against natural calamities (flood, drought, pest); low premium rates Hot |
| 35 | Stand Up India | 2016 | Finance | Finance | Loans ₹10 lakh–₹1 crore to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs for greenfield enterprises |
| 36 | Startup India | 2016 | Commerce & Industry | Industry / Digital | Ecosystem support for startups; tax holidays, regulatory exemptions, funding support |
| 37 | National Agriculture Market (eNAM) | 2016 | Agriculture | Agriculture | Online trading platform for agricultural commodities; direct farmer-to-buyer connectivity |
| 38 | PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) | 2016 | Petroleum & Natural Gas | Women / Energy | Free LPG connections to BPL women; replace wood/dung cakes with clean cooking gas Hot |
| 39 | SAUBHAGYA (Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar) | 2017 | Power | Energy | 100% household electrification across India; free connections to BPL households |
| 40 | PM Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) | 2017 | Women & Child Development | Women & Child | ₹5,000 maternity benefit to first-time pregnant women for proper nutrition and rest |
| 41 | DIKSHA Portal | 2017 | Education | Digital / Education | Digital content and e-learning for teachers and students; National Teachers Platform |
| 42 | Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan | 2018 | Education | Education | Unified school education from pre-primary to Class 12; merges SSA, RMSA, TE |
| 43 | Ayushman Bharat — PMJAY | 2018 | Health | Health | Health insurance ₹5 lakh/family/year; world’s largest govt health insurance; 50+ crore beneficiaries Hot |
| 44 | Ayushman Bharat — HWCs | 2018 | Health | Health | Convert 1.5 lakh sub-health centres to Health and Wellness Centres; primary care |
| 45 | POSHAN Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission) | 2018 | Women & Child Development | Women & Child / Health | Reduce stunting, undernutrition, and anaemia in children and women; ICDS convergence |
| 46 | PM-KISAN (PM Kisan Samman Nidhi) | 2019 | Agriculture | Agriculture | ₹6,000/year (3 instalments) direct income support to small & marginal farmers Hot |
| 47 | PM Kisan MAN-DHAN Yojana | 2019 | Agriculture | Agriculture / Pension | Pension scheme for small and marginal farmers; ₹3,000/month after age 60 |
| 48 | Jal Jeevan Mission (Nal Se Jal) | 2019 | Jal Shakti | Water / Rural | Piped tap water to every rural household; “Har Ghar Jal” target Hot |
| 49 | PM KUSUM Yojana | 2019 | New & Renewable Energy | Energy / Agriculture | Solar pumps and grid-connected solar power plants for farmers; clean irrigation |
| 50 | PM Matsya Sampada Yojana | 2020 | Fisheries | Agriculture / Fisheries | Development of fisheries sector; “Blue Revolution 2.0”; boost fish production and exports |
| 51 | PM SVANidhi | 2020 | Housing & Urban Affairs | Finance / Urban | Micro-credit loans (₹10,000–₹50,000) for street vendors affected by COVID-19 |
| 52 | National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 | 2020 | Education | Education | Comprehensive overhaul of education; 5+3+3+4 structure; multilingual, vocational focus Hot |
| 53 | Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) | 2021 | Health | Health / Digital | Unique ABHA health ID for every Indian; digital health records; linked to Ayushman Bharat |
| 54 | Mission Shakti | 2021 | Women & Child Development | Women & Child | Umbrella scheme for women’s safety and empowerment; two sub-schemes: Sambal + Samarthya |
| 55 | PM Gati Shakti — National Master Plan | 2021 | Commerce & Industry | Infrastructure / Digital | Integrated infrastructure planning across 16 ministries; multimodal logistics Hot |
| 56 | PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan | 2022 | Health | Health | Eliminate tuberculosis from India by 2025; Ni-kshay Mitra scheme for TB patient adoption |
| 57 | PM SHRI Schools | 2022 | Education | Education | 14,500 upgraded model schools as showcases for NEP 2020 implementation |
| 58 | PM Vishwakarma Scheme | 2023 | MSME | Finance / Skills | Credit and skill support to 18 traditional artisan trades (carpenter, blacksmith, potter, etc.) Hot |
| 59 | PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal Scheme) | 1995 (renamed 2021) | Education | Education / Nutrition | Hot cooked meals to school children; improve attendance and nutrition; renamed PM POSHAN in 2021 |
| 60 | IndiaStack / UPI | 2016 | Finance / IT | Digital / Finance | Unified Payments Interface; real-time digital payments; India’s world-leading payment stack Hot |
| Scheme | Urban Variant | Year | Ministry (Urban) | Gramin / Rural Variant | Year | Ministry (Rural) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM Awas Yojana | PMAY-Urban | 2015 | Housing & Urban Affairs | PMAY-Gramin | 2016 | Rural Development |
| Swachh Bharat Mission | SBM-Urban (ODF cities) | 2014 | Housing & Urban Affairs | SBM-Gramin (ODF villages) | 2014 | Jal Shakti |
| Scheme | Ministry | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|
| PM MUDRA Yojana | Finance | Micro loans to small businesses (up to ₹20 lakh; Tarun Plus added Budget 2024-25) |
| PM Suraksha Bima Yojana | Finance | Accidental death cover ₹2 lakh at ₹20/year |
| PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana | Finance | Life cover ₹2 lakh at ₹436/year |
| Atal Pension Yojana | Finance | Pension for unorganised sector workers |
| Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana | Finance | Savings for girl child under 10 years |
| Beti Bachao Beti Padhao | Women & Child Dev | Child sex ratio + girl education |
| PMAY-Urban | Housing & Urban Affairs | Urban housing for all |
| Smart Cities Mission | Housing & Urban Affairs | 100 sustainable smart cities |
| AMRUT | Housing & Urban Affairs | Water/sewage in 500 cities |
| PM KAUSHAL Vikas Yojana | Skill Development | Free skill certification for youth |
| Skill India Mission | Skill Development | Train 40 crore Indians in skills |
| Digital India Mission | Electronics & IT | Digital empowerment of India |
| PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana | Jal Shakti | “Har Khet Ko Pani” |
| Soil Health Card | Agriculture | Soil nutrient cards to farmers |
⚖️ Compare Two Government Schemes
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
- MGNREGA (2005) — Rural Development; 100 days guaranteed employment; legal right (Act), NOT just a scheme; UPA government
- PM Jan Dhan Yojana (2014) — Finance; world’s largest financial inclusion; zero-balance accounts; 55+ crore accounts
- Ayushman Bharat PMJAY (2018) — Health; ₹5 lakh per family per year; world’s largest govt health insurance; 50+ crore beneficiaries
- PMAY-Urban (2015) vs PMAY-Gramin (2016) — two different years, two different ministries; often confused in exams
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (2015) — Women & Child Development; launched from Panipat, Haryana; address child sex ratio decline
MGNREGA — the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005) — is an Act of Parliament, not just a welfare scheme. This distinction is directly tested in UPSC questions. The right to 100 days of wage employment per financial year is a legal entitlement for rural households. If work is not provided within 15 days of demand, the beneficiary is entitled to an unemployment allowance. This makes it fundamentally different from other schemes in the government schemes in India list.
- PMAY-Urban (2015) — Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs | PMAY-Gramin (2016) — Ministry of Rural Development
- Swachh Bharat Urban (2014) — Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs | Swachh Bharat Gramin (2014) — Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Both Swachh Bharat variants launched in 2014 — same year, different ministries
- Both PMAY variants are “Housing for All” but in different years and under different ministries
- 2014 launches: PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Make in India, Swachh Bharat Mission (both variants), Mission Indradhanush
- 2015 launches (most schemes): MUDRA, PMFBY, PMAY-Urban, PMKVY, Skill India, Soil Health Card, PMKSY, Beti Bachao, Sukanya, Digital India, Smart Cities, AMRUT, Atal Pension, FAME India
- NOT 2014: PM-KISAN (2019), PM Mudra (2015), Ujjwala (2016), PMFBY (2016), PMAY (2015/2016), Ayushman Bharat (2018)
“2015 was the MEGA year — if it feels like a major flagship scheme and you are unsure of the year, 2015 is the most likely answer.”
Three Finance insurance schemes all in 2015: MUDRA (loans), Suraksha (accident ₹20/yr), Jeevan Jyoti (life ₹436/yr) + Atal Pension + Sukanya — remember as “MJJAS”
Three Urban schemes all in 2015: PMAY-Urban, Smart Cities, AMRUT — remember as “PSA”
🃏 Flashcards
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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MGNREGA (2005), enacted under the UPA government, guarantees 100 days of wage employment per financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Critically, it is an Act of Parliament — not merely a welfare scheme — making the right to employment legally enforceable. If work is not provided within 15 days, the beneficiary is entitled to an unemployment allowance.
Launched in 2018, PMJAY provides health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. It is the world’s largest government-funded health insurance scheme, covering over 50 crore beneficiaries (approximately 10 crore poor and vulnerable families). ₹2 lakh is the coverage under PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (accident) and PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (life).
PM Jan Dhan Yojana was launched on August 28, 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Its primary objective is financial inclusion — providing zero-balance savings accounts, RuPay debit cards, and access to insurance and credit to unbanked citizens. It is the world’s largest financial inclusion programme with 55+ crore accounts. Micro-credit to small businesses is PM MUDRA Yojana (2015); crop insurance is PMFBY (2016).
PMUY was launched in May 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, to provide free LPG connections to women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households. The aim was to replace polluting cooking fuels (wood, cow dung cakes) with clean cooking gas, benefiting women’s health. It is a women-centric scheme under the Petroleum Ministry — often confused with Finance Ministry schemes.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (2015, Finance Ministry) is a small savings scheme for the girl child. Parents/guardians can open an account for girls under 10 years of age. The account matures when the girl turns 21 and offers one of the highest interest rates among small savings instruments. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is an awareness/education campaign (not a savings scheme). PM Matru Vandana Yojana provides ₹5,000 maternity benefit to pregnant women.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The highest-priority entries in the government schemes in India list are: MGNREGA (2005) — 100 days employment, legal right; PM Jan Dhan Yojana (2014) — world’s largest financial inclusion; Swachh Bharat Mission (2014) — ODF India; Make in India (2014) — manufacturing; Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (2015) — girl child; PM Mudra (2015) — micro loans; PMAY (2015/2016) — Housing for All; PM Fasal Bima (2016) — crop insurance; Ujjwala Yojana (2016) — LPG to BPL women; Ayushman Bharat PMJAY (2018) — ₹5 lakh health insurance. For each, know: launch year, ministry, and primary beneficiary.
A Central Sector Scheme is 100% funded by the Central Government and implemented by central agencies — examples include Digital India and Make in India. A Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) is jointly funded by the Centre and States (typically 60:40 or 75:25 ratio) and implemented through state governments — examples include MGNREGA, PMAY, and NHM. This distinction is tested in UPSC Mains and Prelims on fiscal federalism and cooperative federalism. MGNREGA, despite being an Act, is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in practice.
Several central government schemes specifically target women: PM Ujjwala Yojana (free LPG connections to BPL women, 2016), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (girl child education and sex ratio, 2015), Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (savings for girl child, 2015), PM Matru Vandana Yojana (₹5,000 maternity benefit, 2017), One Stop Centre/Sakhi (violence-affected women, 2015), and Mission Shakti (umbrella scheme for women’s safety and empowerment, 2021). Many other schemes like PMJDY and PM Awas Yojana prioritise women as the primary account or beneficiary holder.
MGNREGA is an Act of Parliament — the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, passed in 2005. This makes the right to 100 days of employment a legal entitlement for rural households, not just a government welfare scheme. If a state government fails to provide work within 15 days of demand, the beneficiary is entitled to an unemployment allowance. This legal guarantee distinguishes MGNREGA from other flagship schemes. It is implemented under the Ministry of Rural Development and was passed under the UPA government of Dr Manmohan Singh.
