RAS question
PM-KISAN was launched on which date?
Correct answer: (B) February 24, 2019.
PM-KISAN was launched on February 24, 2019 as a Central Sector Scheme.
Explanation
PM-KISAN is the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, and the key date is February 24, 2019. The Press Information Bureau, Government of India release is dated 24 February 2019 and states that the Prime Minister launched PM-KISAN from Gorakhpur that day. PM-KISAN began as a Central Sector Scheme on February 24, 2019. The release also explains why the scheme was economically significant: about 12 crore farmers were expected to benefit, Rs. 75,000 crore was to be transferred to farmers' accounts every year, and the scheme depended on direct transfer so that the full amount reached the beneficiary.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) January 1, 2019 is not supported by the PIB launch release, which is dated February 24, 2019 and says PM-KISAN was launched that day.
- (C) March 15, 2019 falls after the PIB release that records the launch on February 24, 2019.
- (D) April 1, 2019 is too late, because the official PIB release already records PM-KISAN's launch on February 24, 2019.
Concept
This tests Indian Economy coverage of major government schemes: their launch dates, scheme type, and delivery mechanism. It recurs in RAS-style MCQs because nearby 2019 dates can look plausible unless the official launch record is fixed clearly.