Top 10 Sarkari Yojanas You Should Know About in 2024

As India continues its journey towards economic growth and social development, Sarkari Yojanas (government schemes) play a pivotal role in empowering its citizens and promoting inclusive progress. These government programs span a wide range of sectors including health, education, financial inclusion, agriculture, and more. In 2024, several Sarkari Yojanas stand out for their far-reaching impact and relevance to various sections of society. Here’s a comprehensive look at the Top 10 Sarkari Yojanas you should know about in 2024.

1. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

Launched in 2014, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana is a revolutionary financial inclusion scheme that has transformed the banking landscape in India. It ensures that every citizen has access to basic banking services, thereby promoting economic inclusion.

Key Highlights:

• Zero-balance bank accounts for everyone, with no minimum balance requirement.
• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for easy and transparent government benefits and subsidies.
• Linked insurance and pension schemes for financial security.

2024 Focus: The PMJDY continues to grow, with expanded services like micro-insurance and increased digital banking options, making financial services more accessible to rural and underserved areas.

2. Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)

Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest health insurance scheme, aimed at providing quality healthcare to over 50 crore citizens. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) offers free healthcare coverage to economically disadvantaged families, helping them access critical medical services without financial burden.

Key Highlights:

• Health insurance coverage up to ₹5 lakhs per family per year.
• Coverage includes secondary and tertiary care hospitalization in empaneled hospitals.
• More than 24,000 hospitals nationwide offer cashless treatment.

2024 Focus: As healthcare needs evolve, Ayushman Bharat continues to increase its outreach by covering new illnesses and expanding healthcare infrastructure across urban and rural regions.

3. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme is a financial support initiative aimed at small and marginal farmers. It offers direct income support to farmers, helping them meet their agricultural expenses and improving their livelihoods.

Key Highlights:

• ₹6,000 per year to eligible farmers, disbursed in three equal installments.
• Focuses on small and marginal farmers with holdings up to two hectares.
• Fund transfers are made directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

2024 Focus: PM-KISAN continues to support farmers as the backbone of the Indian economy, with additional benefits like crop insurance and better access to financial services being integrated into the program.

4. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

MGNREGA is a landmark rural employment scheme that guarantees 100 days of wage employment per year to every rural household. It is a powerful tool for poverty alleviation and rural development.

Key Highlights:

• Provides rural households with employment opportunities in public works projects.
• Focuses on water conservation, road construction, and agricultural land development.
• Aims to create durable assets while improving the standard of living in rural areas.

2024 Focus: With increasing investments in green jobs and sustainable infrastructure, MGNREGA is evolving to contribute to climate resilience and environmental sustainability in rural India.

5. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a mission aimed at providing affordable housing for all citizens by 2022, with continued efforts into 2024. The scheme targets both urban and rural populations, with a special focus on women and economically weaker sections.

Key Highlights:

• Offers subsidies on home loans for first-time homebuyers.
• Promotes slum rehabilitation and affordable housing projects in urban areas.
• Financial assistance for constructing pucca (permanent) houses in rural areas.

2024 Focus: PMAY is set to achieve its target of Housing for All with a renewed focus on sustainable construction and providing better amenities to low-income families.

6. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched to provide LPG connections to women in households that use traditional cooking fuels like wood and coal. This scheme promotes clean cooking energy, improving health outcomes and empowering women.

Key Highlights:

• Free LPG connections to over 8 crore women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.
• Focus on reducing indoor air pollution and associated health risks.
• Encourages the use of environmentally friendly cooking methods.

2024 Focus: PMUY is expanding its reach to cover more households while also working on making LPG refills more affordable for low-income families through subsidy programs.

7. Digital India

Launched in 2015, Digital India aims to transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. The program promotes digital infrastructure and online access to government services, bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas.

Key Highlights:

• Broadband connectivity in rural areas, ensuring widespread internet access.
• E-governance initiatives, enabling citizens to access services like health, education, and welfare online.
• Promoting digital literacy, especially in rural and underserved communities.

2024 Focus: Digital India continues to revolutionize service delivery by focusing on 5G infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and smart governance initiatives.

8. Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is a nationwide campaign aimed at achieving a clean and open defecation-free (ODF) India. It has two main components—Swachh Bharat Gramin and Swachh Bharat Urban—which focus on sanitation infrastructure and cleanliness.

Key Highlights:

• Construction of over 10 crore toilets across rural and urban India.
• Focus on solid waste management and promoting cleanliness in public spaces.
• Behavioral change initiatives encouraging citizens to adopt better sanitation practices.

2024 Focus: As India moves forward, SBM will focus on sustainable waste management, plastic waste reduction, and ensuring ODF Plus status by promoting better hygiene and waste disposal practices.

9. Atal Pension Yojana (APY)

The Atal Pension Yojana is a government-backed pension scheme designed for workers in the unorganized sector. It ensures a secure post-retirement life by providing a fixed pension to subscribers based on their contributions during their working years.

Key Highlights:

• Provides a fixed monthly pension of ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 after the age of 60, depending on the contributions.
• Encourages workers in unorganized sectors like farming, construction, and small businesses to save for retirement.
• The government co-contributes 50% of the total contribution or ₹1,000 per year, whichever is lower, for eligible subscribers.

2024 Focus: APY continues to expand its reach, promoting financial literacy and encouraging more informal sector workers to secure their futures through pension savings.

10. Make in India

The Make in India initiative is a national program aimed at transforming India into a global manufacturing hub. Launched in 2014, the program encourages both domestic and international companies to invest in India’s manufacturing sector.

Key Highlights:

• Focus on 25 sectors, including automobiles, textiles, electronics, and defense manufacturing.
• Simplified regulations and improved infrastructure to attract foreign investments.
• Emphasis on job creation and skill development through industrial growth.

2024 Focus: In 2024, Make in India aims to boost green manufacturing, promote sustainable industries, and drive innovations in sectors like renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs).

Conclusion

The top 10 Sarkari Yojanas in 2024 are not only helping India achieve its goals of economic growth and social welfare but also driving inclusive development across all strata of society. These government schemes are empowering citizens, improving livelihoods, and creating a foundation for a prosperous future. Understanding these schemes and their benefits can help every Indian citizen make the most of the opportunities they offer, ensuring a better tomorrow for all.