1 . Allocation of Foodgrains under PM-POSHAN
Syllabus Mapping: GS II: Government Policies & Interventions • Education • Vulnerable Sections + GS III: Food Security • Human Resource Development
- PM POSHAN Scheme is implemented in partnership with State Governments and UT Administrations.
- Provides hot and nutritious meals to children studying in Bal Vatika (just before Class I) and Classes I–VIII in Government and Government-aided schools.
- The PM POSHAN scheme (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman), formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, operates under the Ministry of Education.
- Central Government provides 100% assistance for:
- Cost of foodgrains
- Transportation cost
- Management, Monitoring & Evaluation (MME)
- Food Corporation of India (FCI) is responsible for providing foodgrains under the scheme.
- Foodgrains are allocated bi-annually by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L) with concurrence of the Department of Food & Public Distribution.
- Allocation is made as approved by the Programme Approval Board (PAB)-PM POSHAN to the State Nodal Department and FCI.
- FCI ensures continuous availability of adequate foodgrains in its depots and allows lifting of foodgrains up to one month in advance to prevent supply-chain disruptions.
- Foodgrains supplied must meet at least Fair Average Quality (FAQ)
- District Collector/CEO of Zila Panchayat ensures quality through joint inspection by FCI and district representatives.
- FCI maintains samples of supplied foodgrains for future verification and analysis in case of quality complaints.
2. Redesigning of PMKVY Courses
Syllabus Mapping: GS II: Government Policies & Interventions • Skill Development • Employment + GS III: Human Resource Development • Emerging Technologies
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is implemented by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) since 2015 for skill development through Short-Term Training (STT) and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
- PMKVY 4.0, implemented since FY 2022-23, focuses on emerging and new-age skills aligned with industry requirements.
- 600+ new-age and futuristic courses have been introduced covering Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors, electronics, green energy, EVs, drones, cybersecurity and robotics.
- As on 30 June 2026, around 44 lakh candidates have been trained in new-age and futuristic job roles under PMKVY 4.0.
- PMKVY 4.0 is a demand-driven scheme with On-the-Job Training (OJT) embedded in industry-relevant courses, providing real-world industry exposure.
- Training is standardized through the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) and aligned with industry requirements.
- Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) identify skill gaps, develop curricula and competency standards, and oversee training, assessment and certification.
- Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) integrates skilling, education, employment and entrepreneurship ecosystems and connects skilled candidates with employment and apprenticeship opportunities.
3. Achievements and Socio-Economic Impact under PM SVANidhi Scheme
Syllabus Mapping: GS II: Government Policies & Interventions • Inclusive Development • Vulnerable Sections • Financial Inclusion
- PM SVANidhi (Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) was launched on 1 June 2020 to provide collateral-free working capital loans to urban street vendors.
- The scheme enables vendors to access institutional credit, helping reduce dependence on informal sources of finance.
- Since inception till 12 July 2026, 95 lakh street vendors have availed 1.15 crore+ loans amounting to ₹18,475 crore.
- Graduated credit support: Timely repayment enables vendors to move to higher loan tranches, creating a pathway for progressive access to formal credit.
- 2nd loan tranche:71 lakh vendors
- 3rd loan tranche:49 lakh vendors
- Digital financial inclusion: Vendors are incentivised for digital transactions through cashback incentives, encouraging adoption of digital payments.
- Till May 2026, more than 875 crore digital transactions had been recorded under the scheme, with ₹412 crore cashback
- SVANidhi se Samriddhi, launched on 4 January 2021, extends the scheme from credit support to social-security convergence by linking beneficiaries and their families with 8 Central Government welfare schemes.
- The 8 linked schemes include:
- PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)
- PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)
- PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
- BOCW registration
- PM Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM)
- NFSA portability through One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)
- PM Janani Suraksha Yojana (PMJSY)
- PM Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
4. Rising Asiatic Lion Population & Project Lion
Syllabus Mapping: GS III: Environment & Ecology • Biodiversity Conservation • Wildlife Protection • Protected Areas
- Asiatic Lion population increased from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025, reflecting sustained conservation efforts.
- Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is found only in India, with its wild population concentrated in the Greater Gir Landscape of Gujarat.
- Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary forms the core of the Asiatic Lion conservation landscape.
- The lion’s range has expanded from around 30,000 sq. km in 2020 to nearly 35,000 sq. km, indicating expansion beyond the core protected area into the wider landscape.
- Project Lion was announced on 15 August 2020 for the long-term conservation of Asiatic Lions.
- Asiatic Lions are social animals and occur in groups; male coalitions are an important feature of their social and territorial behaviour.
- Lions show dispersal and ranging beyond protected forests, using a landscape comprising forest, agricultural and pastoral areas; hence habitat connectivity and community coexistence are important for their conservation.
- Wildlife corridors facilitate movement between habitats and support gene flow and satellite populations.
- The Greater Gir landscape supports prey such as Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Wild Boar and Chinkara, forming an important prey base for the lion.
- Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, is being developed as an important second habitat for Asiatic Lions, reducing dependence on a single landscape.
- Conservation Status: Endangered – IUCN Red List + CITES: Appendix I + Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
5. Removal of Invasive Alien Plant Species in Reserved Forests
Syllabus Mapping: GS III: Environment & Ecology • Biodiversity Conservation • Forest Conservation • Environmental Degradation
- Invasive Alien Plant Species (IAPS) are alien plant species whose introduction and spread can adversely affect native species, ecosystems and ecosystem functioning.
- MoEFCC and its line institutions identify and monitor IAPS. Forest Survey of India (FSI) has prepared an album of 45 major invasive species and assessed their occurrence in Reserved Forest Areas.
- Botanical Survey of India (BSI) has prepared a state-wise inventory of potential invasive species occurring in forest and non-forest areas and submitted it to the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) for preparation of a National Management Plan for Invasive Species.
- Invasive plants can outcompete native vegetation, alter habitat structure and ecosystem processes, and reduce native biodiversity and regeneration.
- Important invasive plants relevant to India include Lantana camara, Prosopis juliflora, Mikania micrantha, Parthenium hysterophorus and Eichhornia crassipes.
- Management responsibility: Removal of invasive species and regeneration with indigenous species in Reserved Forests and other protected forest areas is undertaken by the respective State Governments/UT Administrations as per approved forest and wildlife management plans.
- National Forest Policy, 1988 emphasises environmental stability, restoration of ecological balance and afforestation/regeneration using native/indigenous species.
- National Working Plan Code, 2023 provides for ecosystem-based forest management, including invasive species management, restoration of degraded landscapes, soil and moisture conservation and preference for site-specific indigenous/native species.
- Restoration of native vegetation can strengthen soil-moisture retention, groundwater recharge, water retention and overall ecosystem resilience.
- India currently does not have a single dedicated national legislation exclusively dealing with invasive alien species; their management involves a multi-agency and multi-sectoral approach.
- At the global level, Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 6 specifically addresses invasive alien species, including their introduction and establishment.
