PIB Analysis · Daily Current Affairs

PIB Analysis

09 June 2026  ·  Legacy IAS Academy

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Contents01

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan — A Decade of Inclusive Maternal Healthcare

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare  ·  Maternal Health

GS 2Health

02

Empowering the Poor — A Decade of Inclusive Transformation

Multiple Ministries  ·  Welfare, Social Sector, Rural Development

GS 2GS 3Essay

Article 01

Article 01

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan — A Decade of Inclusive Maternal Healthcare

Source: PIB, 08 June 2026  ·  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)

Exam Relevance: GS Paper 2 — Government Policies and Interventions; Health; Women and Child Welfare. Relevant for SDG 3 discussions, institutional delivery ecosystem, and maternal health infrastructure.

GS 2Health

Key Statistics

130 → 87MMR per lakh live births (2014–16 to 2022–24)

7 crore+Free ANC check-ups conducted since 2016

78.27 lakh+High-Risk Pregnancies identified (as of Dec 2024)

Jan 2022Extended PMSMA launched for HRP follow-up

<70SDG 3.1 target — MMR per 1,00,000 by 2030

25High-risk factors screened per PMSMA visit

1. Issue in Brief

• PMSMA (Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan) — India’s flagship free antenatal care programme — completed 10 years on June 9, 2026, launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• Guarantees free, comprehensive Antenatal Care (ANC) — medical monitoring of a pregnant woman before childbirth — to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month at designated government health facilities.
• Focuses on the second and third trimesters (months 4–9 of pregnancy), when risk of complications is highest and specialist intervention has the greatest impact.
• India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) — number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births — declined from 130 (2014–16) to 87 (2022–24), a reduction of 43 points over a decade.
• Celebrations mark the decade with release of a ₹75 commemorative coin and ₹5 postal stamp by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda.

2. Static Background

• Maternal Mortality (WHO definition): death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of childbirth, from causes related to or aggravated by the pregnancy — excludes accidental or incidental causes.
• SDG Target 3.1: Reduce global MMR to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live births by 2030; India at 87 must accelerate — marginal gains are now harder than early reductions.
• National Health Policy, 2017 set a national MMR target of <100 by 2020 (achieved) and <70 by 2030. MMR data is published by the Sample Registration System (SRS) under the Registrar General of India (RGI), Ministry of Home Affairs.
• India has ~2.9 crore pregnancies annually — making scale and geographic reach of delivery a unique challenge, especially in remote and tribal regions.
• High-Risk Pregnancy (HRP): A pregnancy with complications or pre-existing conditions — such as severe anaemia, gestational hypertension, or diabetes — that significantly elevate risk for mother or child; PMSMA screens for 25 specific risk factors.
• PMSMA operates under the RMNCAH+N (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health + Nutrition) strategy of the NHM (National Health Mission) — the umbrella framework for public health service delivery in India.

3. Key Dimensions

• Service package: clinical examination, blood and urine tests, ultrasonography (USG), Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) tablets, calcium supplements, birth-planning counselling, and complication-readiness guidance — all free of cost.
• Check-ups conducted by OB-GYN (Obstetrician and Gynaecologist) specialists or doctors trained in: CEmONC — Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (a fully-equipped facility capable of caesarean sections, blood transfusions, and surgical interventions) or BEmONC — Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (non-surgical emergency services: administering oxytocin, antibiotics, managing eclampsia, assisted vaginal delivery — without surgical capacity).
• Mother and Child Protection (MCP) Card: A colour-coded sticker system affixed at each visit indicating each woman’s risk level and follow-up schedule — allows frontline workers to quickly prioritise care.
• Doctor Volunteer System: Private OB-GYN specialists, radiologists, and physicians invited to volunteer on the 9th of every month — just 12 days a year per PM Modi’s appeal in Mann Ki Baat. Registration via pmsma.mohfw.gov.in or toll-free 1800-180-1104; recognised through the ‘IPledgeFor9’ Achievers Awards.
• Extended PMSMA (January 2022): Ensures risk identification leads to continuous follow-up — name-based line-listing of HRP women, up to 4 additional sessions/month, individual tracking until safe delivery and 45 days after. Financial incentives for both beneficiary and ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) — community health workers who serve as the last-mile link between households and health facilities.
• 10-Year Celebration: Special PMSMA sessions at all District Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals, and FRUs (First Referral Units) — district-level hospitals equipped for emergency obstetric referrals; Ayushman Arogya Shivirs at 1.8 lakh Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs; community outreach via VHSND, JAS, and SHGs.
• Ecosystem of complementary schemes: Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) — cash incentive for institutional delivery, 11.96 crore women benefited; Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) — free direct services (no cash) for pregnant women and newborns, 18.05 crore beneficiaries; SUMAN (Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan) — quality ANC guarantee at 99,290+ facilities; LaQshya — Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative; PMMVY — ₹5,000 direct maternity benefit for first child.

4. Critical Analysis

• Supply-side success, demand-side gap: PMSMA has effectively expanded specialist antenatal care supply; reaching unregistered, missed, and dropout pregnant women — the most marginalised — remains the central unfinished task, particularly in tribal and remote areas.
• Volunteer participation is geographically uneven: Private OB-GYN participation is concentrated in urban and semi-urban areas; rural and tribal regions face structural specialist shortages that volunteerism alone cannot bridge.
• SDG 3.1 gap remains large: At MMR 87, India needs a further 17+ point reduction in 3–4 years; marginal gains are harder as easy-to-reach populations have already been served — remaining deaths are concentrated among the poorest and most remote.
• ASHA worker overload: ASHA workers simultaneously manage PMSMA mobilisation, JSY facilitation, immunisation tracking, POSHAN monitoring, and Extended PMSMA HRP follow-up — overloading this last-mile workforce risks fatigue and declining engagement quality.
• Ultrasound availability gap: While PMSMA mandates at least one ultrasound, many PHCs and CHCs lack functional equipment or radiologists — meaning the “comprehensive” package is often incomplete in practice in rural facilities.
• Positive externality — health data: PMSMA’s name-based HRP tracking creates a valuable maternal health surveillance database directly informing district-level planning and resource allocation under NHM.

5. Way Forward

• Expand CEmONC/BEmONC facilities: More emergency obstetric units at sub-district level are needed — early risk detection is meaningless without adequate surgical and non-surgical response capacity nearby.
• Integrate with ABHA: Link PMSMA records to the 14-digit Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) for continuity of care across facilities and states, enabling better population-level maternal health tracking.
• Task-shifting for ultrasound: Train ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives) in limited obstetric ultrasound protocols to expand scan access in sub-centres that lack radiologists.
• Sub-national targeting: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan contribute disproportionately to India’s maternal deaths — concentrated state-level interventions are more efficient than uniform national strategies.
• Male engagement in ANC: Behaviour-change communication to involve men in accompanying women to ANC visits reduces delays in emergency care-seeking — a key factor in preventable maternal deaths.
• Extend monitoring to postpartum period: Most maternal deaths occur within 24–48 hours after delivery, not during pregnancy — a structured postpartum protocol modelled on Extended PMSMA would address this critical gap.

6. Prelims Pointers

PMSMA LaunchJune 9, 2016 — nodal Ministry: MoHFW (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)

ANC Day9th of every month at designated government facilities — 2nd and 3rd trimester only

MMR DefinitionMaternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births — data by SRS under Registrar General of India (RGI), MHA

MMR Trend130 (2014–16) → 87 (2022–24) — a 43-point reduction over a decade

SDG Target 3.1MMR below 70 per 1,00,000 live births by 2030

HRP Screening25 specific risk factors screened at each PMSMA session

Extended PMSMAJan 2022 — individual HRP tracking until 45 days post-delivery; SMS alerts to beneficiary + ASHA

ASHAAccredited Social Health Activist — community health worker under NHM; last-mile link between household and health system

CEmONCComprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care — includes C-section surgical capacity, blood transfusion

BEmONCBasic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care — non-surgical: oxytocin, antibiotics, assisted vaginal delivery

FRU (First Referral Unit)District-level hospital for emergency obstetric referrals — HRPs linked to nearest FRU

‘IPledgeFor9’ AwardsRecognises private doctors who volunteer for PMSMA — given by MoHFW

SUMANSurakshit Matritva Aashwasan — quality ANC guarantee across 99,290+ facilities nationwide

JSY vs JSSKJSY = cash incentive for institutional delivery; JSSK = free direct services (no cash) for pregnant women and newborns

LaQshyaLabour Room Quality Improvement Initiative — improves care standards specifically in labour rooms

RMNCAH+NReproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health + Nutrition — NHM’s core health strategy

7. Practice Mains Question

Critically examine the role of Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) in reducing India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio. What structural and systemic challenges remain in achieving SDG Target 3.1 by 2030?

GS Paper 2  ·  Health, Government Policies and Interventions  ·  15 marks

8. Practice MCQ

Which of the following best describes the difference between CEmONC and BEmONC facilities under India’s maternal health framework?

(a) CEmONC focuses on nutrition and antenatal counselling, while BEmONC handles emergency surgical deliveries.(b) CEmONC provides surgical capacity including caesarean sections, while BEmONC provides non-surgical emergency obstetric care.(c) BEmONC is available only at district hospitals, while CEmONC operates at sub-centres.(d) Both CEmONC and BEmONC are equivalent levels of care distinguished only by geographic location.

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Article 02

Article 02

Empowering the Poor — A Decade of Inclusive Transformation

Source: PIB, 08 June 2026  ·  Multiple Ministries

Exam Relevance: GS Paper 2 — Government Policies, Social Justice, Poverty; GS Paper 3 — Indian Economy, Inclusive Growth. High-frequency topic for both Prelims (scheme details) and Mains (critical analysis of welfare delivery). Landmark VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 is a must-know for UPSC 2026.

GS 2GS 3Essay

Key Statistics

~25 crorePeople lifted from multidimensional poverty (2013–14 to 2022–23)

29.17% → 11.28%Multidimensional poverty rate decline (NITI Aayog National MPI)

3.23 cr → 15.84 crRural households with tap water (Aug 2019 to May 2026)

12.11 crore+Household toilets built under Swachh Bharat Mission–Grameen

81 crore+PMGKAY free foodgrain beneficiaries

4.6% → 0.3%Female primary school dropout rate (2013–14 to 2024–25)

1. Issue in Brief

• A PIB release consolidates a decade of India’s inclusive welfare delivery (2014–2026) across water, sanitation, energy, health, food security, housing, education, livelihoods, and digital governance.
• Central claim: ~25 crore people lifted out of multidimensional poverty between 2013–14 and 2022–23, measured by NITI Aayog’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) using NFHS-6 (2022–23) data.
• Framing reflects the Antyodaya to Sarvodaya philosophy — from welfare for the most deprived (Antyodaya, a concept from Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya) to universal well-being (Sarvodaya).
• Landmark legislative development: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 has been formally repealed and replaced by the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB–G RAM G] Act, 2025, effective July 1, 2026.

2. Static Background

• Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): Measures simultaneous deprivation across 12 indicators spanning 3 dimensions — Health, Education, Standard of Living. Uses the Alkire-Foster methodology — a dual-cutoff approach that first identifies which dimensions a person is deprived in, then checks if total deprivation crosses a threshold to classify them as “multidimensionally poor.”
• National MPI: Published by NITI Aayog using NFHS (National Family Health Survey) data, conducted by IIPS (International Institute for Population Sciences) under MoHFW. Global MPI: Published annually by UNDP + OPHI — for cross-country comparison; not directly comparable to India’s National MPI.
• JAM Trinity: Three-pillar digital architecture enabling Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) with minimal leakage — Jan Dhan (bank account) + Aadhaar (biometric identity) + Mobile (connectivity).
• National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013: Legal entitlement for subsidised foodgrains — gives 75% of rural and 50% of urban population the right to subsidised grains; the statutory backbone of PDS and PMGKAY.
• VB–G RAM G Act, 2025: Passed by Parliament December 2025; Presidential assent December 20, 2025; effective July 1, 2026. Formally repeals MGNREGA, 2005. Raises guarantee from 100 to 125 days/year; integrates planning with PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan; raises administrative ceiling from 6% to 9%.

3. Key Dimensions

• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) (2019, Jal Shakti Ministry — Har Ghar Jal): Coverage expanded from 3.23 crore to 15.84 crore rural households (Aug 2019 to May 2026) = 81.87% of 19.35 crore households. Budget grew ~488% to ₹67,670 crore; 2.77 lakh villages certified 100% under Har Ghar Jal. Schools with tap water: 29,711 → 9.23 lakh; Anganwadi Centres: 15,464 → 9.66 lakh.
• Swachh Bharat Mission–Grameen (SBM-G) (Oct 2014): Rural sanitation coverage: 39% (2014) → 100% (2019); India declared ODF in 2019. 12.11 crore household toilets built. 5 lakh+ villages now ODF Plus (solid + liquid waste management). GOBARdhan (cattle dung → biogas): plants grew from 14 (2018–19) to 1,213+ (May 2026).
• Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U): Budget ₹62,009 cr → ₹1.41 lakh crore (+128%). Door-to-door waste collection: 43% → 98%; waste processing: 16% → 82%. Status hierarchy — ODF (no open defecation) → ODF+ (ODF + visible cleanliness + waste management) → ODF++ (ODF+ + all toilets functional + faecal sludge safely treated). 4,692 cities ODF; 4,314 ODF+; 1,973 ODF++.
• PM Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) (2016): 10.57 crore free LPG connections to BPL women — reduces indoor air pollution from biomass burning. Total LPG connections: 14.52 crore (2014) → 33.39 crore (2026), a 130% rise. PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (2024): Rooftop solar; up to 300 units free electricity/month; budget ₹6,250 cr → ₹22,000 cr; 36.8 lakh households benefited (Apr 2026).
• SAUBHAGYA (2017): 100% household electrification by March 2019. Rural daily supply: 12.5 hrs (2014) → 22.6 hrs (2025). DDUGJY (Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana) (2014): 100% village-level electrification by 2025 (distinct from household electrification under SAUBHAGYA).
• Ayushman Bharat–PMJAY (Sept 2018): World’s largest publicly funded health scheme; ₹5 lakh/year insurance per family; 43.93 crore Ayushman Cards; hospitalisations: 29.96 lakh → 12.03 crore; treatment cost ₹1.80 lakh crore. ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account): 14-digit unique health ID; 88.33 crore accounts; 97.81 crore linked health records. AIIMS operational: 8 (1947–2014) → 15 (2014–2026).
• PMGKAY (2020): Free foodgrains to 81 crore+ beneficiaries; extended 5 years in Jan 2024. SARTHAK-PDS (approved May 2026, ₹25,530 crore): technology-driven PDS modernisation under NFSA. ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card): ration card portability across all states — 2.07 billion+ transactions. 99.8% of 5.51 lakh Fair Price Shops Aadhaar-enabled; 100% ration cards digitised.
• Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (2018–19): Subsumed SSA, RMSA, Teacher Education. 4,073 schools upgraded; 1.49 lakh ICT/smart classrooms. Female primary dropout rate: 4.6% → 0.3%. EWS Reservation: Constitution 103rd Amendment Act, 2019 — 10% for EWS (income <₹8 lakh/year), outside SC/ST/OBC quotas. Child Sex Ratio: 943 → 1,020 (under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao). KGBV residential schools for girls: 3,609 → 5,639 sanctioned; enrolment 3.52 lakh → 7.11 lakh.
• PMAY–Urban: 98.10 lakh houses completed; 96% registered in women’s name (PMAY-U 2.0). PMAY–Grameen: 3.03 crore houses completed; 75% beneficiaries women. AMRUT/AMRUT 2.0 (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation): ₹2.79 lakh crore in urban revitalization; 2.53 crore tap water connections; 7,943 projects completed.
• DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission): SHG women: 2.37 crore → 10 crore; SHGs: 21.31 lakh → 91.75 lakh; loans: ₹22,944 cr → ₹1.2 lakh crore. Lakhpati Didi (2023): 3.07 crore women with ₹1 lakh+ annual income. Namo Drone Didi (2023): 500 drones for SHG women in agri-services. SHE-Mart (Budget 2026–27): Community-owned retail outlets for SHG products; target 1 crore women.
• VB–G RAM G Act, 2025 (formally repeals MGNREGA, 2005): Passed Dec 2025; Presidential assent Dec 20, 2025; effective July 1, 2026. Employment guarantee: 100 → 125 days/year; administrative ceiling: 6% → 9%; planning integrated with PM Gati Shakti; focus shifts to integrated livelihood security + durable asset creation + climate resilience. Under predecessor (2014–25): person-days 1,660 cr → 3,036.7 cr; women’s participation 48% → 58.19%.
• PMJDY (2014): 58.16 crore accounts (May 2026); balance ₹3.02 lakh crore; 13.55 lakh Bank Mitras for branchless banking. PM MUDRA Yojana: Credit up to ₹10 lakh (no collateral); tiers: Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (₹50,001–₹5 lakh), Tarun (₹5 lakh–₹10 lakh); 57 crore accounts; 66% disbursed to women (₹16.88 lakh crore); 49% to SC/ST/OBC.
• UPI (Unified Payments Interface): Under 100 crore annual → 2,100 crore+ monthly transactions; institutions: 21 → 705; value: ₹0.38 cr → ₹29.52 lakh crore. 86% of P2M (Person-to-Merchant) transactions below ₹500 — deep daily retail penetration. eShram Portal (2021): 31.64 crore unorganised workers registered with UANs.
• Tribal Development: PM-JANMAN (2023) — 75 PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups): 2.66 lakh houses, 1,949 km roads, 750 Mobile Medical Units completed. Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (2024): 12.89 lakh houses sanctioned. EMRS (Eklavya Model Residential Schools): 129 → 499 operational; 1.54 lakh enrolled.

4. Critical Analysis

• Coverage vs. quality: Many schemes show near-100% saturation — ODF certification, SAUBHAGYA electrification, PMJDY account opening — but quality lags; dysfunctional toilets post-construction, irregular tap water, dormant Jan Dhan accounts, and poor power quality remain documented. Coverage does not equal sustained utilisation.
• Inflation caveat: The decline in average inflation (8.1% in 2004–14 to 5.1% in 2014–25) is partly attributable to global commodity cycles — real purchasing power gains for the poor need to be assessed independently of aggregate macro trends.
• SHG credit quality: While DAY-NRLM loan disbursements grew nearly 5x, NPA levels in SHG lending and actual per-household income uplift need scrutiny — scale of credit disbursement alone does not equal economic empowerment.
• VB–G RAM G transition risks: The formal repeal of MGNREGA carries transition risks for workers. The shift from demand-driven funding to plan-based allocation raises concerns about whether genuine employment demand in distress periods will be met flexibly.
• Urban poverty gap: Most flagship schemes are rural-centric. DAY-NULM concluded September 2024 without a clear successor — urban informal workers, slum dwellers, and migrants remain the most underserved segment of India’s welfare architecture.
• ONORC portability limits: Despite 2.07 billion transactions, ONORC benefits only registered NFSA beneficiaries — unregistered migrants who never enrolled in any state remain entirely outside the food security net.

5. Way Forward

• Outcome-based metrics: Shift policy focus from asset creation (toilets, homes, connections) to sustained utilisation and quality — introduce independent third-party outcome audits for SBM, JJM, and PMAY.
• Plug the JJM gap: With ~18% of rural households still uncovered and supply irregular in many certified villages, dedicated O&M (Operations and Maintenance) funding and strengthened Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) are essential.
• Integrate ONORC with eShram: Linking eShram’s UAN database with NFSA entitlements would extend food security portability to unregistered informal workers — the most food-insecure segment currently outside the system.
• Smooth VB–G RAM G rollout: States must notify their schemes under the new Act before July 1, 2026; field staff must be retrained; the 125-day guarantee must remain demand-responsive, not purely plan-driven, to protect distress employment needs.
• Urban welfare architecture: Design a successor to DAY-NULM aligned with rapid urbanisation — urban informal workers need structured skill development, social security, and credit access.
• Climate-proof welfare: Climate shocks disproportionately hurt the rural poor — integrate climate resilience into housing norms (PMAY), water infrastructure (JJM), and the asset-creation focus of VB–G RAM G (the Act already includes extreme weather event mitigation as a thematic domain).

6. Prelims Pointers

National MPIPublished by NITI Aayog; 12 indicators — Health, Education, Standard of Living; uses NFHS data (by IIPS under MoHFW)

Global MPIPublished by UNDP + OPHI annually — cross-country comparison; not directly comparable to India’s National MPI

Alkire-Foster MethodDual-cutoff: identifies deprived dimensions first, then checks if total deprivation qualifies as “multidimensionally poor”

JAM TrinityJan Dhan + Aadhaar + Mobile — enables DBT with minimal leakage; core architecture of welfare delivery

ODF / ODF+ / ODF++ODF = no open defecation; ODF+ = ODF + visible cleanliness + waste management; ODF++ = ODF+ + all toilets functional + faecal sludge safely treated

Har Ghar Jal CertificationVillage certified only after 100% saturation of households, schools, Anganwadis, and health centres with tap water

ABHAAyushman Bharat Health Account — 14-digit unique health ID (distinct from Aadhaar’s 12-digit)

PMJDY AccountsZero-balance accounts; include RuPay debit card + ₹2 lakh accidental insurance coverage

MUDRA Loan TiersShishu: up to ₹50,000 | Kishore: ₹50,001–₹5 lakh | Tarun: ₹5 lakh–₹10 lakh — no collateral required

VB–G RAM G Act, 2025Presidential assent Dec 20, 2025; effective July 1, 2026; formally repeals MGNREGA, 2005; guarantee raised 100 → 125 days/year

VB–G RAM G PlanningIntegrated with PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan; thematic domains: water security, rural infra, livelihood infra, extreme weather mitigation

PVTGParticularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups — 75 groups targeted under PM-JANMAN (2023)

EWS ReservationConstitution 103rd Amendment Act, 2019 — 10% in education and employment; income limit ₹8 lakh/year; outside SC/ST/OBC quotas

KGBVKasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya — residential schools for girls from SC/ST/OBC/Minority communities

GOBARdhanGalvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan — cattle dung/organic waste → biogas + organic manure

SWAYAMIndia’s own MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platform — free higher education; 5.80 crore enrolments

SARTHAK-PDSApproved May 2026 (₹25,530 crore) — technology-driven modernisation of PDS logistics under NFSA

ONORC ScopeOne Nation One Ration Card — portability for registered NFSA beneficiaries only; 2.07 billion+ transactions

eShram UANUniversal Account Number — issued to unorganised workers; linked to Aadhaar; self-declaration basis; 31.64 crore registered

UPI P2M Share86% of Person-to-Merchant transactions below ₹500 — deep daily retail penetration, not just large transfers

7. Practice Mains Question

“India’s decade-long welfare expansion has achieved significant coverage milestones but faces the harder challenge of converting access into sustained outcomes.” Critically examine with reference to key social sector programmes.

GS Paper 2  ·  Government Policies, Social Sector  ·  15 marks

8. Practice MCQ

Which of the following correctly describes the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB–G RAM G] Act, 2025?

(a) It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched under the existing MGNREGA framework with enhanced wage rates.(b) It is a new legislation that supplements MGNREGA by adding a separate urban employment guarantee.(c) It is a comprehensive legislation that formally repeals MGNREGA, 2005, and raises the employment guarantee to 125 days per rural household per year.(d) It transfers rural employment programmes entirely to State Governments, removing Central Government funding obligations.