Comprehensive Notes on Indian Government Schemes May 2026

India's SVAMITVA Scheme and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad Presentation to the World Bank

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) recently presented an exhaustive case study on India’s SVAMITVA Scheme to the World Bank in Washington, D.C. This presentation delineated the scheme as a highly successful, technology-driven, and scalable global model for rural land governance, mapping, and socio-economic empowerment. Key highlights from the IIM-A and World Bank studies indicate that the scheme has unlocked an estimated $₹135 \text{ lakh crore}$ in rural land value by turning land into an asset and reducing longstanding rural property conflicts through legally recognized property records.

The SVAMITVA scheme, which stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas, is a central sector scheme launched by Prime Minister Modi on April 24, 2020. Its primary objective is to provide legal property records, or Property Cards, to rural households using high-resolution drone technology. The pilot phase was initiated on National Panchayati Raj Day in April 2020, followed by a national roll-out on April 24, 2021, after successful completion in nine states. The targeted completion was originally set for March 2025 but has been extended for saturation and integration into 2026. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) serves as the nodal ministry, with the Survey of India (SoI) acting as the technical partner.

The scheme is fully funded by the Central Government with an estimated cost of approximately $₹566 \text{ crore}$ for the initial phase from 2020 to 2025. Eligible beneficiaries include rural inhabitants owning houses in the Abadi (inhabited) areas of villages across all states and Union Territories. Property Cards are distributed to homeowners after the survey and dispute resolution process; these cards are known by different names in various states, such as Gharauni in Uttar Pradesh, Chalta in Haryana, and Sannad in Maharashtra. The technical components involve high-resolution drone surveying with an accuracy up to $5 \text{ cm}$ and the establishment of a Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network for real-time positioning. The scheme aims to cover approximately $6.62 \text{ lakh}$ villages, with drone surveys focused on $3.44 \text{ lakh}$ targeted villages and the establishment of a pan-India network of $1,000+$ CORS stations.

Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana - Phase IV (PMGSY-IV)

Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, alongside Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, officially rolled out the first state-level tranche of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana - Phase IV (PMGSY-IV) in Barijhola, Rayagada district, Odisha. Although guidelines were released in December 2024, implementation officially launched on May 1, 2026, in Odisha and May 10, 2026, in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, during a Silver Jubilee event. This phase aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to remaining unconnected habitations and upgrade existing rural roads, integrating them into the mainstream economic grid by linking schools, health centers, and rural markets.

The total five-year outlay for the period 2024-25 to 2028-29 is $₹70,125 \text{ crore}$, with an allocation of $18,907 \text{ crore}$ specifically for FY 2026-27. The funding pattern is split as follows: general states and UTs with legislature receive $60\%$ from the Centre and $40\%$ from the state; North-Eastern, Himalayan States, and Jammu & Kashmir receive $90\%$ from the Centre and $10\%$ from the state; and UTs without legislature are $100\%$ funded by the Centre. Maintenance costs for the initial $10 \text{ years}$ are borne by states and UTs, where the first $5 \text{ years}$ are covered under the Defect Liability Period within the construction contract, and the subsequent $5 \text{ years}$ are funded separately by the state.

Targets for PMGSY-IV include connecting $25,000$ previously unconnected habitations and constructing $62,500 \text{ km}$ of new all-weather roads between FY 2024-25 and FY 2028-29. An "All-Weather Road" is defined as one fully negotiable across all seasons with minimal interruptions where water overflow at structures must not exceed $24 \text{ hours}$ and occur no more than $6 \text{ times}$ annually. An "Unconnected Habitation" is a distinct cluster located at least $500 \text{ meters}$ away (or $1.5 \text{ km}$ path distance in hills) from an existing all-weather road. The scheme utilizes a cluster approach where habitations within a $500 \text{ meter}$ radius are clubbed to meet population thresholds. In Hill States, habitations within $10 \text{ km}$ of international borders can be bundled into a cluster. Selection of work follows the mapped Core Network and a descending socio-economic priority ladder, starting with Priority I for habitations with $500+$ population and $50\%$ or more ST population (Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan).

The digital technology integration includes several platforms: the PMGSY Gram Sadak Survey App for transect walks; the PM Gati Shakti and Geo-Sadak Portals for constructing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs); OMMAS (Online Management, Monitoring, and Accounting System) for real-time tracking; and GPS-Enabled Vehicle Tracking Systems (VTS), which became mandatory in May 2022 for all contractors. Fund release operates through the SNA SPARSH model. During the Silver Jubilee event, Madhya Pradesh was recognized for the highest completed road length, Bihar for the highest habitations connected, Gujarat for maximum green tech utilization, and Uttar Pradesh for outstanding maintenance spending.

Ministry of Mines Incentive Scheme for Critical Mineral Recycling and the NCMM

The Ministry of Mines has finalized approvals for $58$ companies under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling, which has a total outlay of $₹1,500 \text{ crore}$ for the tenure of FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31. To support diversity in the sector, $33.3\%$ of the budget is reserved for small and new recyclers. The incentive structure includes a capital expenditure (Capex) subsidy of $20\%$ on plant and machinery, and an operating expenditure (Opex) subsidy based on incremental sales over the FY 2025-26 baseline ($40\%$ in Year 2 and $60\%$ in Year 5). Large recyclers with revenue of $₹200 \text{ crore}$ or more are capped at $₹50 \text{ crore}$ in incentives, while small or new recyclers are capped at $₹25 \text{ crore}$.

In parallel, the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) runs from FY 2024-25 to FY 2030-31 with a government outlay of $₹34,300 \text{ crore}$, comprising $₹16,300 \text{ crore}$ in direct government expenditure and $₹18,000 \text{ crore}$ from the private and PSU sectors. The mission aims to secure domestic supplies of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel for electric vehicles, renewables, and defense. It includes an R&D blueprint targeting $1,000$ patents by 2030 through seven dedicated Centres of Excellence. A total of $30$ minerals have been identified as critical, with $24$ included under Part D of the First Schedule of the MMDR Act, 1957. A Centre of Excellence on Critical Minerals (CECM) has been established to update this list periodically.

Expansion of RBI CBDC-Based Digital Food Currency Pilot Under PMGKAY

The Government of India is expanding its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Digital Food Currency pilot project to Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu by June 2026. This follows trials in Gujarat and Puducherry. Operating under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), the project integrates the Reserve Bank of India’s Digital Rupee ($e₹$) into the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) ecosystem. The project aims to reform the Public Distribution System (PDS) by replacing physical cards with programmable, purpose-bound digital tokens.

Core architectural features of this currency include programmable money where subsidies are issued as encrypted digital tokens to mobile devices. These tokens are structurally locked using smart contracts so they can only be spent on entitled foodgrains such as wheat, rice, and coarse grains and cannot be liquidated for other commodities. Redemption is flexible, allowing for dynamic QR codes or USSD voucher codes on feature phones for offline use. In Puducherry, Canara Bank serves as the intermediary bank, while no intermediary bank is utilized in the Gujarat pilot.

Namo Stall Scheme and PM SVANidhi Financial Inclusion

Launched in April 2026 by Union Minister Sanjay Seth in Ranchi, Jharkhand, the Namo Stall Scheme provides street vendors, specifically those selling fruits and vegetables, with free, modern, and hygienic pushcarts. Each stall costs approximately $₹50,000$. The first phase saw stalls provided to five vendors, with plans to expand the initiative tenfold. This scheme is positioned as a local livelihood initiative under the broader PM SVANidhi umbrella.

The PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme, launched on June 1, 2020, has been extended until March 31, 2030. It is a demand-driven central sector scheme that provides collateral-free working capital loans in three tranches: tranche 1 for $₹15,000$, tranche 2 for $₹25,000$, and tranche 3 for $₹50,000$. It features a $7\%$ interest subsidy credited via DBT and digital cashback up to $₹100$ per month. After repaying the second tranche, vendors are eligible for a UPI-linked RuPay Credit Card. Eligible beneficiaries include urban street vendors engaged in business on or before March 24, 2020. Currently, Madhya Pradesh is the top-performing state with $68.87\%$ target completion, and Indore Municipal Corporation ranks first among cities.

River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme and Continuity

The River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme has been approved for continuation during the 16th Finance Commission cycle from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. This central sector scheme, with a total outlay of $₹2,183 \text{ crore}$, is $100\%$ funded by the Central Government. Its objective is to shift water management from fragmented state-bound systems to an integrated, ecological basin-level approach, focusing on transboundary and geopolitically sensitive basins like the Brahmaputra, Barak, Teesta, and Indus.

The institutional architecture of the scheme involves a triad of agencies under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The Brahmaputra Board handles the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys. The Central Water Commission (CWC) serves as the pan-India apex technical body. The National Water Development Agency (NWDA) is responsible for preparing Detailed Project Reports for the Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) under the National Perspective Plan (NPP).

Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0 (ECLGS 5.0)

The Department of Financial Services has introduced ECLGS 5.0, managed by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC), to address liquidity mismatches caused by the West Asia crisis. With a total sovereign guarantee cap of $₹2,55,000 \text{ crore}$, the scheme is valid until March 31, 2027. Eligible beneficiaries must have accounts classified as 'Standard' as of March 31, 2026. MSMEs and Non-MSMEs can access loans up to $20\%$ of their peak fund-based working capital (Jan-March 2026), capped at $₹100 \text{ crore}$. Scheduled Passenger Airlines can access up to $100\%$ of peak credit, capped at $₹1,500 \text{ crore}$, though promoter equity is mandatory above $₹1,000 \text{ crore}$.

The guarantee cover is $100\%$ for MSMEs and $90\%$ for Non-MSMEs and Airlines. Interest rates are capped at EBLR + $0.75\%$ for MSMEs and MCLR + $0.75\%$ for Non-MSMEs, with an absolute hard cap of $9\%$ per annum for banks and $13\%$ for NBFCs. The tenor is $5 \text{ years}$ with a $1 \text{ year}$ moratorium for general businesses, and $7 \text{ years}$ with a $2 \text{ year}$ moratorium for airlines. Security must be created within $90 \text{ days}$ of disbursement, and delayed remittance of recoveries to NCGTC attracts a penalty of Repo Rate + $4\%$. Authorized lenders include all Scheduled Commercial Banks, Scheduled Urban Co-operative Banks, and RBI-registered NBFCs.

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and Micro-Irrigation Targets

The update from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare highlights that rainfed agriculture constitutes nearly $60\%$ of India's net sown area and $40\%$ of food production. NMSA, a pillar of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, aligns agricultural practices with UN SDGs, specifically SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) serves as the expert advisory body for upgrading dry-land farming practices.

A significant component is the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) initiative launched in 2015-16, which has transitioned approximately $109 \text{ lakh hectares}$ to micro-irrigation using $₹26,325 \text{ crore}$ in central assistance. For the period between FY 2025-26 and FY 2029-30, the government has set a target of $100 \text{ lakh hectares}$, requiring a mandatory annual run-rate of $20 \text{ lakh hectares}$. The mission is currently integrated under the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PMRKVY).

Cabinet Approvals for Coal Gasification and Merchant Ship Flagging

The Union Cabinet approved a $₹37,500 \text{ crore}$ scheme to promote Surface Coal and Lignite Gasification Projects, aiming to gasify $100 \text{ Million Tonnes (MT)}$ of coal by 2030 to reduce dependence on imports. The scheme offers a financial incentive of up to $20\%$ of the cost of plant and machinery, disbursed in four installments. Individual projects are capped at $₹5,000 \text{ crore}$, while a single corporate group is capped at $₹12,000 \text{ crore}$ to prevent monopolization.

In the maritime sector, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways extended the scheme for Promoting the Flagging of Merchant Ships in India until FY 2030-31. Originally approved in July 2021 with an outlay of $₹1,624 \text{ crore}$, it uses a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) mechanism to offer subsidies to Indian shipping companies matching foreign bids for transporting commodities like crude oil and coal. Subsidy tiers are determined by the February 1, 2021, cut-off date ($15\%$ vs $10\%$), and vessels older than $20 \text{ years}$ are barred from participation.

Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram 2.0 (RBSK 2.0) and Jan Suraksha Coverage

The updated RBSK 2.0 guidelines, released in May 2026, cover children from birth up to $18 \text{ years}$ of age. It follows the 4Ds framework (Defects at Birth, Diseases, Deficiencies, and Developmental Delays) but adds mental health, behavioral concerns, and NCD risk factors like diabetes and hypertension. Screening is done by Mobile Health Teams (MHTs) at Anganwadi Centres and schools. It is integrated with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, providing every child with a Digital Health Card. Funding follows a $60:40$ sharing pattern, with $90:10$ for North-Eastern/Himalayan states and $100\%$ for UTs.

India’s Jan Suraksha schemes—PMJJBY, PMSBY, and APY—completed $11 \text{ years}$ of operation in May 2026. PMJJBY provides $₹2 \text{ Lakh}$ life cover for an annual premium of $₹436$, targeting ages $18$ to $50$, with a $30$-day lien period. PMSBY provides accident insurance with a $₹2 \text{ Lakh}$ payout for death or total disability for only $₹20$ per year, available to ages $18$ to $70$. APY allows workers aged $18$ to $40$ to contribute toward a monthly pension of $₹1,000$ to $₹5,000$ starting at age $60$. APY features a tri-tier survivorship benefit where the pension continues for the spouse, and the corpus is eventually returned to the nominee. Notably, female participation in APY stands at approximately $49\%$.