India & China: Govt Schemes - PMJDY & One-Child Policy

• Study notes for government schemes in India and China

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

• Launched on August 28, 2014
• Designed to provide universal access to banking facilities
• Aims to ensure financial inclusion for all households in India
• Basic savings bank accounts can be opened with a zero balance
• RuPay debit cards are issued with accidental insurance coverage
• Overdraft facility of up to ₹10,000 is available for satisfactory account holders
• Integrates the unbanked population into the formal financial system
• Facilitates direct benefit transfers, reducing leakages
• Encourages savings among low-income groups and fosters economic stability

One-Child Policy

• Implemented by China from 1979 to 2015
• Designed to control the rapidly growing population
• Limits most families to a single child
• Restricted the majority of Chinese families to having only one child
• Includes financial incentives for compliance and penalties for violations
• Aims to reduce the strain on resources and promote economic development
• Led to an aging population and gender imbalances due to cultural preferences for male children

Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS)

• Launched on August 15, 1995
• Aims to enhance enrollment, retention, and attendance in schools
• Improves the nutritional status of children
• Provides free lunches to students in primary and upper primary classes in government and government-aided schools
• Ensures that meals meet specific calorie and protein requirements
• Encourages school enrollment and reduces dropout rates
• Addresses malnutrition among school-aged children
• Promotes socialization among children of different castes and backgrounds

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

• Launched in 2005
• Designed to enhance livelihood security in rural areas
• Provides at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year
• Available to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work
• Provides legal assurance for at least 100 days of wage employment per rural household annually
• If employment is not provided within 15 days of application, applicants are entitled to an unemployment allowance
• Focuses on creating durable assets like roads, canals, ponds, and wells to improve rural infrastructure
• Offers a safety net for the rural poor by providing employment opportunities
• Enhances infrastructure, leading to improved productivity and quality of life in rural areas
• Encourages participation of women, promoting gender equality in rural employment

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

• Launched in March 2020
• Designed to ensure food security for the poor by providing free food grains during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Provides 5 kg of rice or wheat per person per month to approximately 80 crore beneficiaries
• Offers an additional 1 kg of preferred pulses per household per month
• Ensures that vulnerable populations have access to essential food supplies during crises
• Reduces the financial burden on low-income households by supplementing their food requirements

Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)

• Launched in June 2020
• Aims to provide affordable working capital loans to street vendors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Aids in the revival of their livelihoods
• Offers initial working capital loans of up to ₹10,000 with a tenure of one year
• Provides a 7% annual interest subsidy on timely or early repayment of the loan
• Encourages digital transactions by offering monthly cash-back incentives
• Assists street vendors in resuming their businesses, ensuring economic resilience
• Integrates street vendors into the formal financial system, promoting inclusive growth
• Promotes the adoption of digital payment methods among street vendors

National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)

• Launched in 1995
• Designed to provide financial assistance to the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities
• Provides assistance in the form of social pensions
• Focuses on Below Poverty Line (BPL) individuals, offering them financial support
• Includes various pension schemes