Government Schemes Part-5

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       Ayushman Bharat–PM Jan Arogya Yojana

  • Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 
  • It was launched in 23 September, 2018 at Ranchi.
  • Aims to provide free health coverage at the secondary and tertiary level to its bottom 40% poor and vulnerable population. 
  • PM-JAY is the world’s largest and fully state sponsored health assurance scheme which covers a population of the combined size of USA, Mexico and Canada.
  • Launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). 
  • This initiative has been designed to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its underlining commitment, which is to “leave no one behind.”

Ayushman Bharat adopts a continuum of care approach, comprising of two inter-related components, which are –

  • Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
  1. Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs)
  • In February 2018, the Government of India announced the creation of 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) by transforming the existing Sub Centres and Primary Health Centres. 
  • They cover both, maternal and child health services and non-communicable diseases, including free essential drugs and diagnostic services.
  1. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
  • Aims at providing a health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10.74 crores poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40% of the Indian population. 
  •  PM-JAY was earlier known as the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) before being rechristened. 
  • It subsumed the then existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) which had been launched in 2008. 
  • PM-JAY is fully funded by the Government and cost of implementation is shared between the Central and State Governments.

Key Features of PM-JAY

  • PM-JAY provides cashless access to health care services for the beneficiary at the point of service, that is, the hospital.
  • PM-JAY envisions to help mitigate catastrophic expenditure on medical treatment which pushes nearly 6 crore Indians into poverty each year.
  • It covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days post-hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines.
  • There is no restriction on the family size, age or gender.
  • All pre–existing conditions are covered from day one.
  • Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country i.e. a beneficiary can visit any empanelled public or private hospital in India to avail cashless treatment.
  • Services include approximately 1,393 procedures covering all the costs related to treatment, including but not limited to drugs, supplies, diagnostic services, physician’s fees, room charges, surgeon charges, OT and ICU charges etc.
  • Public hospitals are reimbursed for the healthcare services at par with the private hospitals.

Benefit Cover Under PM-JAY

  • PM-JAY provides cashless cover of up to INR5,00,000 to each eligible family per annum for listed secondary and tertiary care conditions. 
  • The cover under the scheme includes all expenses incurred on the following components of the treatment.
  • Medical examination, treatment and consultation
  • Pre-hospitalization
  • Medicine and medical consumables
  • Non-intensive and intensive care services
  • Diagnostic and laboratory investigations
  • Medical implantation services (where necessary)
  • Accommodation benefits
  • Food services
  • Complications arising during treatment
  • Post-hospitalization follow-up care up to 15 days
  • The benefits of INR 5,00,000 are on a family floater basis which means that it can be used by one or all members of the family. 
  • The RSBY had a family cap of five members. However, based on learnings from those schemes, PM-JAY has been designed in such a way that there is no cap on family size or age of members. 
  • In addition, pre-existing diseases are covered from the very first day. 
  • This means that any eligible person suffering from any medical condition before being covered by PM-JAY will now be able to get treatment for all those medical conditions as well under this scheme right from the day they are enrolled.                                                                                                                                    

Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)

  • Ministry – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 
  • It was announced in 2003 with the objectives of correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable/ reliable tertiary healthcare services and also to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country.
  •  The scheme was approved in March 2006.
  • The scheme had the vision to provide equal medical and healthcare facilities to those living in rural areas, as compared with the urban population.
  • The PMSSY project was to be implemented across the country by the centre for which two major components of implementation was decided.
  • The first was to set up bigger medical institutions like that of AIIMS located in New Delhi. A total of six such AIIMS like medical units were brought up in the country spread across various regions.
  • The second component of the PMSSY scheme was to improve and upgrade all the medical colleges and institutions.

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) 

  • Ministry – Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
  • It is aimed towards ensuring remunerative prices to farmers for their produce.
  • To plug the holes in the procurement system and address the gaps in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme. 
  • This scheme is a mix of sub-schemes which involve direct procurement from farmers, paying them for losses incurred when market prices are lower than the announced MSP, and pilot of private procurement and stockist scheme.

Components of PM-AASHA

  • Price Support Scheme (PSS) 
  • Physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.
  • It is also decided that in addition to NAFED, Food Cooperation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts. 
  • The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms.
  • Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)-
  • It is proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified. 
  • In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process. 
  • All payment will be done directly into registered bank account of the farmer. 
  • This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in notified market.
  • Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS)
  • Participation of private sector in procurement operation needs to piloted so that on the basis of learnings the ambit of private participation in procurement operations may be increased.
  • Therefore in addition to PDPS, it has been decided that for oilseeds, states have the option to roll out Private Procurement Stockist Scheme (PPSS) on pilot basis in selected district/APMC(s) of district involving the participation of private stockiest.

 

Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS)

  • Ministry – Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship 
  • The Scheme of Jan Shikshan Sansthan has been transferred from Ministry of Human Resource Development to Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in July-2018.
  • Jan Shikshan Sansthan (formerly known as Shramik Vidyapeeth) provide vocational skills to non-literate, neo-literates as well as school drop-outs, in the age group of 15- 45 years by identifying skills that have a market in the region of their establishment.
  • The objective of JSS is to uplift this rural population economically by imparting essential skills training, thereby enabling local trades to grow and creating new opportunities for the natives of the region.

Target Group

  • Socio-economically backward and educationally disadvantaged groups of rural/urban population.
  • Main target include non-literate, neo-literates, person education upto 8th standard, school drop-outs, in the age group of 15-35 years.
  • Priority given to women, SC, ST, OBC and Minorities in rural areas and urban slums.

Institutes of Eminence Scheme 

  • Ministry – Ministry of Human Resources Development 
  • In 2017, the University Grants Commission (UGC) started inviting applications from universities who conformed to the set of guidelines provided by them in order to be granted the eminence tag.
  • The need for creating a separate category of universities which will be regulated differently from other universities came about because of the fact that last year none of the Indian universities were placed in World University Rankings.
  • The objective behind the tag of eminence was to give 20 universities (10 public and 10 private), wide-ranging autonomy by the government in administrative and financial matters so that they can emerge as world-class universities over a reasonable period of time and be ranked among the top 500 of any of the world-renowned ranking frameworks in the first 10 years of being declared Institute of eminence.
  • The government universities would be further given financial assistance to the amount of Rs 1000 crore for fulfilling the said objectives.

Public institutes eligible to apply to be ‘Institutes of Eminence’:

  • Central Universities
  • Government-owned and controlled deemed universities
  • lnstitute of National importance such as IITs, NITs etc.
  • State universities set up under a law made by legislative assembly of a state

 

Impactful Policy Research in Social Sciences (IMPRESS) 

  • Ministry – Ministry of Human Resources Development 
  • Government has approved “Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education by 2022”, as per which the scope of institutions to be funded through Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) has been enlarged to encompass School Education and Medical Education institutions, apart from Higher Education. 
  • IMPRESS scheme was sanctioned in August 2018 at a total cost of Rs.414 Cr for implementation up to 31.3.2021.
  • Aims to encourage social science research in policy relevant areas so as to provide vital inputs in policy-formulation, implementation and evaluation.
  • It is being implemented by the Indian Council of Social Science Research. 
  • The scheme was sanctioned in August 2018 at a total cost of Rs.414 Cr for implementation up to 31.3.2021.
  • The basic idea to encourage policy research in social sciences is to have visible impact on polity, economy, society, culture, media, governance, health, environment, technology, law etc. It also aims to have enhanced coordination between academics and policy makers.

Objectives

  • To identify and fund research proposals in social sciences with maximum impact on the governance and society.
  • To focus research on (11) broad thematic areas such as : State and Democracy, Urban transformation, Media, Culture and Society, Employment, Skills and Rural transformation, Governance, Innovation and Public Policy, Growth, Macro-trade and Economic Policy, Agriculture and Rural Development, Health and Environment, Science and Education, Social Media and Technology, Politics, Law and Economics. The Sub-Theme areas will be decided on the basis of Expert Groups’ advice before notifying the scheme and calling for applications.
  • To ensure selection of projects through a transparent, competitive process on online mode.
  • To provide opportunity for social science researchers in any institution in the country, including all Universities (Central and State), private institutions with 12(B) status conferred by UGC.

 

Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC)

  • Ministry – Ministry of Human Resources Development 
  • Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) aims at improving the research ecosystem of India’s higher educational institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian institutions and the best institutions in the world from 28 selected nations to jointly solve problems of national and international relevance in the first phase.
  • Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur is the National Coordinating Institute to implement the SPARC programme.

  Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana

  • Ministry – Ministries of Women and Child Development
  • Maternity Benefit Programme (launched in 1st January, 2017) under which pregnant women and nursing mothers receive a cash benefit of Rs 5,000 in three instalments.
  • It provides a partial wage compensation to women for wage-loss during childbirth and childcare and to provide conditions for safe delivery and good nutrition and feeding practices. 
  • In 2013, the scheme was brought under the National Food Security Act, 2013 to implement the provision of cash maternity benefit of ₹6,000 (US$84) stated in the Act.
  • It assumes significance as India accounts for 17% of all maternal deaths in the world.
  • It was renamed as Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana in 2014 and again as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) in 2017.

Objectives:

  • Promoting appropriate practice, care and institutional service utilization during pregnancy, delivery and lactation
  • Encouraging the women to follow (optimal) nutrition and feeding practices, including early and Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months; and
  • Providing cash incentives for improved health and nutrition to pregnant and lactating mothers.

 

SHe- Box

  • Ministry – Ministries of Women and Child Development
  • The Sexual Harassment electronic Box (SHe-Box) is an initiative by the Government of India to provide a single window access to every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working in organised or unorganised, private or public sector, to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment. 
  • Any woman facing sexual harassment at workplace can register a complaint through this portal.
  •  Once a complaint is submitted to the ‘SHe-Box’, it will be directly sent to the authority concerned having jurisdiction to take action in the matter.
  • The government has enacted the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (the SH Act), 2013 to create a safe and secure workplace, free from sexual harassment, for women. 
  • This Act caters to women working both in organised and unorganised sectors and establishes a redressal mechanism for the disposal of their complaints.
  • It defines “sexual harassment at the workplace” in a comprehensive manner, to cover circumstances of implied or explicit promise or threat to a woman’s employment prospects or creation of hostile work environment or humiliating treatment, which can affect her health or safety.

 

Krishna Kutir

  • Ministry – Ministries of Women and Child Development
  • A new ashram or shelter home for widows spread over 4 acre of land in Vrindavan. 
  • There are approximately 34 million widows in India, of which more than 6,000 reside in parts of Vrindavan and Govardhan alone.
  • Krishna Kutir is a 1,000-bed ashram.
  • A centre is run by the Sun Foundation, in which they are running the skill development project.
  • Everything is free of cost and after training completion the women get a certificate as well.
  • The ashram is a step forward in providing a decent life for women who have been ousted by their families.

 

National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) 

  • Ministry – Ministry of Rural Development
  • Launched on 15th August, 1995.
  • It represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in Article 41 of the Constitution. 
  • Article 41 of the Indian Constitution directs the State to provide public assistance to its citizens in case of ‘unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want within the limit of its economic capacity and development.

Objective of NSAP

  • National Social Assistance Programme is a social security and welfare programme to provide support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary bread winner, belonging to below poverty line households.

Components of NSAP

The NSAP at its inception in 1995 had three components namely

  • National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS),
  • National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and
  • National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS). The National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) was subsequently transferred on 1st April, 2001 from the Ministry of Rural development to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Presently NSAP comprises of five schemes, namely –

  • Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS),
  • Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS),
  • Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS),
  • National Family Benefit Scheme NFBS) and
  • Annapurna.

Eligibility and scale of assistance

  • For getting benefits under NSAP the applicant must belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family.
  • Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) : The eligible age for IGNOAPS is 60 years. The pension is Rs.200 p.m. for persons between 60 years and 79 years. For persons who are 80 years and above the pension is Rs.500/ – per month.

Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) : The eligible age is 40 years and the pension is Rs.300 per month. After attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs.500/ – per month.

  • Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) : The eligible age for the pension er is 18 years and above and the disability level has to be 80%. The amount is Rs.300 per month and after attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs 500/ – per month . Dwarfs will also be an eligible category for this pension.

National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) : In the event of death of a bread-winner in a household, the bereaved family will receive lumpsum assistance of 20,000. The bread-winner should have been between 18–64 years of age. The assistance would be provided in every case of death of primary bread-winner in a household.

Annapurna Scheme : 10 kgs of food grains (wheat or rice) is given per month per beneficiary. The scheme aims at providing food security to meet the requirements of those eligible old aged persons who have remained uncovered under the IGNOAPS