PIB 247 – 15th to 16th November 2023

Q.1) Government of India is providing food grains free of cost under Pradhan Mantri Garib
Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for a period of one year beginning from 1st January 2023.
Which food subsidy scheme/s have been subsumed as PMGKAY for effective and uniform
implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013?

[a] Food Subsidy to FCI

[b] Antyodaya Anna Yojana

[c] Food Subsidy to Decentralized Procurement States

[d] A and B

[e] A and C

9999466225 w w w. a n u j j i n d a l . i n info@anujjindal.in Solution: [e]

 Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
➢What: The Central Government is providing food grains free of cost to
Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households and Priority Households (PHH)
beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

➢Why:
▪ To remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries
▪ To ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of the
National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013

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 Background

• The Central Government was earlier implementing two food subsidy

schemes viz.
▪ Food Subsidy to FCI
▪ Food Subsidy to Decentralized Procurement (DCP) States
• Under these two food subsidy schemes, the Centre fully bears the Food
Subsidy for procuring, allocating, transporting, and delivering the
foodgrains to the designated depot in the States
• These two food subsidy schemes now have been subsumed as PMGKAY
for effective and uniform implementation of NFSA.

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 About PMGKAY

• Duration: 1 year beginning from 1st January 2023.

• Under this scheme, free foodgrains are being distributed through
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
• The additional cost of making foodgrains free of cost to the NFSA
beneficiaries is being borne by the Government of India.

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Q.2) Which country recently hosted the 3rd in-person Ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework (IPEF) where the first-of-its-kind IPEF Supply Chain Resilience
Agreement was signed?

[a] Australia

[b] India

[c] USA

[d] Germany

[e] Japan

9999466225 w w w. a n u j j i n d a l . i n info@anujjindal.in Solution: [c]

 Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
➢What: The 3rd in-person Ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework (IPEF) was hosted by the USA in San Francisco, California.

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 About IPEF Supply Chain Resilience Agreement

• This first-of-its-kind IPEF agreement was signed.

• It is expected to make IPEF supply chains more resilient, robust, and well-
integrated, and contribute towards economic development and progress
of the region as a whole.
• It will come into force after implementation by any of the five member
countries.
• It proposes the establishment of an IPEF Supply Chain Council to monitor
and implement it.

9999466225 w w w. a n u j j i n d a l . i n info@anujjindal.in Solution: [e]

 About IPEF

• Objective: To strengthen economic engagement among partner countries

with the goal of advancing growth, peace and prosperity in the region.
• Launch Year: It was launched jointly by the USA and other partner
countries of the Indo-Pacific region in 2022 in Tokyo (Japan).
• IPEF 14 partner countries: Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan,
Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam & USA.

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 • It is structured around four pillars relating to
▪ Trade (Pillar I)
▪ Supply Chains (Pillar II)
▪ Clean Economy (Pillar III)
▪ Fair Economy (Pillar IV)
▪ NOTE: India has joined three pillars of IPEF (II, III and IV Pillars) and
has observer status in Pillar-I.
• IPEF is not a free trade agreement, but a US-led framework to solidify
relationships with partner countries and engage in crucial economic and
trade matters that concern the region.

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Q.3) What is the budget of recently launched PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya MahaAbhiyan (PM
JANMAN) aimed at ensuring holistic development of tribal groups?

[a] Rs. 24,000 crores

[b] Rs. 18,000 crores

[c] Rs. 22,000 crores

[d] Rs. 20,000 crores

[e] Rs. 25,000 crores

9999466225 w w w. a n u j j i n d a l . i n info@anujjindal.in Solution: [a]

 PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan
➢What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched following initiatives on
the occasion of JanJaatiya Gaurav Divas from Khunti, Jharkhand.
▪ PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAM)
▪ Viksit Bharat Yatra

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 About PM JANMAN

• Objective:
▪ To ensure holistic development of tribal groups.
▪ To benefit and saturate the tribal families and habitations with basic
facilities
• Budget: Rs. 24,000 crores
• Under it, the government aims to reach out to primitive tribes, many of
whom still live in forests.
• 75 such tribal communities and primitive tribes across more than 22
thousand villages, have been identified.

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 About Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra

• Objective: To generate awareness regarding the Central government’s

welfare schemes and policies to ensure 100% saturation of flagship
government schemes
• Implementation: It is being implemented with `whole of Government’
approach with the active participation of State Governments, District
authorities, ULBs, and Gram Panchayats.
• Coverage: It is one of the largest ever outreach initiative that aim to cover
over 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayats and over 3,600 urban local bodies
(covering every district of the country)
• Duration: 15th November 2023 to 25th January 2024.

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Q.4) Which Ministry is launching a month-long Clean Toilets Challenge to accelerate change
for safe sanitation through clean and functional public toilets?

[a] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

[b] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

[c] Ministry of Panchayati Raj

[d] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

[e] Ministry of Rural Development

9999466225 w w w. a n u j j i n d a l . i n info@anujjindal.in Solution: [b]

 Clean Toilets Challenge
➢What: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched a month-
long Clean Toilets Challenge

➢Why: To accelerate change for safe sanitation through clean and

functional public toilets

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 ➢About Campaign

• Objectives: To focus on ensuring the functionality and sustainability of

clean and functional public toilets
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
• Duration: 19th Nov (World Toilet Day) to 25th December (Good
Governance Day)
• It will identify, felicitate, and share the best model toilets for early
replicability by other cities.

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Q.5) The Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme- SHREYAS, is being
implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Which of the following schemes are component of SHREYAS?

[a] National Fellowship for OBC

[b] Dr. Ambedkar Central Sector Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for
Overseas Studies for OBCs and EBCs

[c] Central Sector Scholarship Scheme of Top-Class Education for SC Students

[d] A and B

[e] B and C

9999466225 w w w. a n u j j i n d a l . i n info@anujjindal.in Solution: [d]

 SHREYAS Scheme
➢What: The Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers
Scheme- SHREYAS, is being implemented by placing two ongoing Central
Sector schemes for OBC and others namely
▪ National Fellowship for OBC
▪ Dr. Ambedkar Central Sector Scheme of Interest Subsidy on
Educational Loans for Overseas Studies for Other Backward Classes
(OBCs) and Economically Backward Classes (EBCs)

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 About SHREYAS Scheme

• Objective: To educationally empower OBC & EBC students by way of

awarding fellowship (financial assistance) in obtaining quality higher
education and interest subsidy on educational loan for overseas studies.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Duration: 2021-22 to 2025-26
• Type: Central Sector Scheme

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 Two Components:
1. National Fellowship for OBC students
▪ Objective: To provide financial assistance to OBC students in
obtaining quality higher education leading to degrees such as M.Phil
and Ph.D in universities, research institutions and scientific
institutions.
▪ It provides 1000 Junior Research Fellowships per year, who have
qualified in the following tests
✓ National Eligibility Test – Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) of
UGC (for Humanities/Social Sciences)
✓ UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (UGC-CSIR)
NET-JRF Joint Test (for Sciences)
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 ▪ Coverage: It covers all universities/institutions recognized by the UGC
▪ Implementing Agency: National Backward Classes Finance and
Development Corporation
▪ Rate of fellowship
✓ For JRF level: Rs.31000 per month
✓ For SRF level: Rs.35000 per month
▪ Out of 1000 slots
✓ 750 are allocated for the subjects under NET-JRF of UGC
✓ 250 are allocated for UGC-CSIR NETJRF joint test (for Science streams)
▪ At least 5% of the total seats should be reserved for students with
disabilities.
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 2. Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for
Overseas Studies for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Economically
Backward Classes (EBCs)
▪ Objective: To provide interest subsidy to the student belonging to the
OBCs and EBCs on the interest payable for the period of the moratorium
for the Education Loans for overseas studies to pursue approved courses
of studies abroad at Masters, M.Phil. and Ph.D. level.
▪ Implementing Agency: It is implemented through the Canara Bank.
▪ 50% of the total financial assistance under this scheme is reserved for
women candidates.

9999466225 w w w. a n u j j i n d a l . i n info@anujjindal.in Solution: [e]

 ▪ Applicability: It is applicable for higher studies abroad and restricted to
students enrolled for courses at Master, M.Phil and Ph.D. level

▪ Benefits:
✓ Maximum limit of loan: Rs 20 Lakhs
✓ 100% interest payable by the students is borne by the Government
of India for the period of moratorium.
✓ After the period of moratorium, the interest on the outstanding loan
amount shall be paid by the student.

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 ▪ Eligibility:
✓ Students should have secured admission in the approved courses at
Masters, M.Phil or Ph.D levels abroad.
✓ For OBC candidates
o Total income from all sources shall not exceed present Creamy
Layer criteria (Rs. 8 Lakhs)
✓ For EBC candidates
o Total income from all sources shall not exceed Rs.5 lakh per
annum

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