Topic 29: Social Sector Health Education Poverty

Q: What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY? State its coverage and benefit.

**Ayushman Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)**, launched September 2018, is the world's largest government-funded health insurance scheme. Coverage: **55 crore individuals** from 10.74 crore bottom-40% families (SECC database). Benefit: **₹5 lakh per family per year** for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation across 31,000+ empanelled public and private hospitals. Cashless and paperless; portable across India. In 2024, extended to all citizens above 70 years of age — adding 4.5 crore beneficiaries.

Study Material

Paper Paper I

Unit 2

1. Ayushman Bharat — PM Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) - World's largest government-funded health insurance scheme - Covers 55 crore individuals (10.74 crore families) from bottom 40% of population - Provides health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation - Cashless, paperless treatment at empanelled hospitals across India
2. National Health Mission (NHM) - Launched 2005 (NHM 2013 subsumed NRHM + NUHM) - Budget 2025-26 allocation: approximately ₹38,183 crore - Focus: maternal & child health, reproductive health, non-communicable diseases in rural areas - Delivered via Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Sub-Health Centres renamed)
3. National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) - India's first new education policy in 34 years - Restructures schooling from 10+2 to 5+3+3+4 (Foundational, Preparatory, Middle, Secondary) - Raises higher education GER target to 50% by 2035 (currently ~27%) - Introduces multiple entry-exit in colleges; recommends mother-tongue instruction in primary grades
4. Poverty Measurement in India - Currently estimated using the Tendulkar Poverty Line (2011-12 data); new methodology under development - Tendulkar line: ₹33.3/day (urban), ₹27.2/day (rural) at 2011-12 prices - World Bank extreme poverty line: $2.15/day (PPP 2017) - India's $2.15 poverty head-count estimated at <5% (2023) — massive reduction from 22% in 2011
5. Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) — India's Progress - NITI Aayog's 2023 National MPI report: India lifted 24.82 crore people out of multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21 - MPI poverty declined from 29.17% (2013-14) to 11.28% (2022-23) - One of the fastest reductions globally
6. MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) - India's landmark right-based scheme — guarantees 100 days of unskilled manual work per rural household per year at statutory minimum wage - Budget 2025-26 allocation: ₹86,000 crore - FY2024-25: provided 2.98 billion person-days of employment - 57% of workers are women
7. PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) - Direct cash transfer of ₹6,000 per year (₹2,000 per installment, 3 times yearly) to all farmer families with cultivable land - As of 2025, covering 11 crore+ beneficiaries - Total disbursement ₹3.24 lakh crore since 2019 launch
8. PM Awas Yojana (PMAY) - Affordable housing for urban and rural poor - PMAY-Urban: ₹2.51 lakh crore central assistance; 1.18 crore houses sanctioned (Urban 2.0 extends to 2024-2029) - PMAY-Gramin: Target of 2.95 crore rural houses to be built by 2024; 2.55 crore completed
9. Unemployment in India - Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2023-24): Urban unemployment rate 6.7% (persons aged 15+); rural unemployment 5.8% - Youth unemployment (15-29 years) remains high at ~17-18% - Labour force participation rate: 55.2% (2023-24)
10. PM Ujjwala Yojana - Free LPG connections to women from BPL households - Phase 1 (2016): 5 crore connections target; Phase 2 (2021): Extended to migrant workers, SC/ST - Cumulative connections 10.33 crore (2025) - Reduces indoor air pollution (kills 600,000 Indians/year)
11. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) - Free food grain to 81.35 crore NFSA beneficiaries — 5 kg grains/month - From January 2024, merged with regular NFSA free food — all NFSA beneficiaries get free ration (earlier subsidised) - Annual food subsidy bill: ₹2.05 lakh crore
12. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - "Har Ghar Jal" — piped water to every rural household by 2024 - Status (2025): 15.05 crore (78%) of 19.28 crore rural households have functional tap connections - Budget 2025-26 allocation: ₹67,000 crore - States with 100% coverage: Goa, Telangana, Haryana, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh

Key facts

Ayushman Bharat — PM Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) — World's largest government-funded health insurance scheme
National Health Mission (NHM) — Launched 2005 (NHM 2013 subsumed NRHM + NUHM) — Budget 2025-26 allocation: approximately ₹38,183 crore
National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) — India's first new education policy in 34 years
Poverty Measurement in India — Currently estimated using the Tendulkar Poverty Line (2011-12 data); new methodology under development
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) — India's Progress

Key Points at a Glance

1
Ayushman Bharat — PM Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
- World's largest government-funded health insurance scheme
- Covers 55 crore individuals (10.74 crore families) from bottom 40% of population
- Provides health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation
- Cashless, paperless treatment at empanelled hospitals across India
2
National Health Mission (NHM)
- Launched 2005 (NHM 2013 subsumed NRHM + NUHM)
- Budget 2025-26 allocation: approximately ₹38,183 crore
- Focus: maternal & child health, reproductive health, non-communicable diseases in rural areas
- Delivered via Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Sub-Health Centres renamed)
3
National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020)
- India's first new education policy in 34 years
- Restructures schooling from 10+2 to 5+3+3+4 (Foundational, Preparatory, Middle, Secondary)
- Raises higher education GER target to 50% by 2035 (currently ~27%)
- Introduces multiple entry-exit in colleges; recommends mother-tongue instruction in primary grades
4
Poverty Measurement in India
- Currently estimated using the Tendulkar Poverty Line (2011-12 data); new methodology under development
- Tendulkar line: ₹33.3/day (urban), ₹27.2/day (rural) at 2011-12 prices
- World Bank extreme poverty line: $2.15/day (PPP 2017)
- India's $2.15 poverty head-count estimated at <5% (2023) — massive reduction from 22% in 2011
5
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) — India's Progress
- NITI Aayog's 2023 National MPI report: India lifted 24.82 crore people out of multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21
- MPI poverty declined from 29.17% (2013-14) to 11.28% (2022-23)
- One of the fastest reductions globally
6
MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme)
- India's landmark right-based scheme — guarantees 100 days of unskilled manual work per rural household per year at statutory minimum wage
- Budget 2025-26 allocation: ₹86,000 crore
- FY2024-25: provided 2.98 billion person-days of employment
- 57% of workers are women
7
PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi)
- Direct cash transfer of ₹6,000 per year (₹2,000 per installment, 3 times yearly) to all farmer families with cultivable land
- As of 2025, covering 11 crore+ beneficiaries
- Total disbursement ₹3.24 lakh crore since 2019 launch
8
PM Awas Yojana (PMAY)
- Affordable housing for urban and rural poor
- PMAY-Urban: ₹2.51 lakh crore central assistance; 1.18 crore houses sanctioned (Urban 2.0 extends to 2024-2029)
- PMAY-Gramin: Target of 2.95 crore rural houses to be built by 2024; 2.55 crore completed
9
Unemployment in India
- Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2023-24): Urban unemployment rate 6.7% (persons aged 15+); rural unemployment 5.8%
- Youth unemployment (15-29 years) remains high at ~17-18%
- Labour force participation rate: 55.2% (2023-24)
10
PM Ujjwala Yojana
- Free LPG connections to women from BPL households
- Phase 1 (2016): 5 crore connections target; Phase 2 (2021): Extended to migrant workers, SC/ST
- Cumulative connections 10.33 crore (2025)
- Reduces indoor air pollution (kills 600,000 Indians/year)
11
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)
- Free food grain to 81.35 crore NFSA beneficiaries — 5 kg grains/month
- From January 2024, merged with regular NFSA free food — all NFSA beneficiaries get free ration (earlier subsidised)
- Annual food subsidy bill: ₹2.05 lakh crore
12
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)
- "Har Ghar Jal" — piped water to every rural household by 2024
- Status (2025): 15.05 crore (78%) of 19.28 crore rural households have functional tap connections
- Budget 2025-26 allocation: ₹67,000 crore
- States with 100% coverage: Goa, Telangana, Haryana, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh

Introduction - Social Sector and Human Development

The social sector is the part of public policy that builds human capability through health, education, nutrition, housing, sanitation, water, food security, employment, and welfare transfers.

What is the Social Sector?

The social sector encompasses government spending and programmes in health, education, housing, sanitation, water, food security, employment, and welfare transfers. All of these are targeted at improving human capabilities and reducing inequality. India's human development outcomes, while improving significantly, still lag behind the country's aspirations. According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2025 Statistical Annex, India ranked 130th out of 193 countries on the 2023 Human Development Index, with an HDI value of 0.685. This corrects the older 134/193 and 0.644 reference and gives the current official HDI frame for exam answers.

Constitutional Mandate

Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV) direct the state to ensure adequate means of livelihood (Art. 39), equal pay for equal work (Art. 39), and the right to work, education, and public assistance (Art. 41). Just working conditions (Art. 42) and early childhood care (Art. 45) are also mandated. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments shifted key social services to local self-government, making panchayats and urban local bodies important delivery institutions for welfare.

Budget 2025-26 - Social Sector Allocations

Health and Family Welfare: ₹98,311 crore
Education (school + higher): ₹1,24,638 crore
Labour and Employment: ₹8,379 crore
Housing and Urban Affairs: ₹96,168 crore
Jal Shakti (JJM + PMKSY): ₹1,00,154 crore

Why This Topic Matters for RAS 2026

Social sector schemes have been tested in 2013 (financial inclusion), 2018 and 2021 (PM Rojgar Protsahan Yojana). The 2026 paper can take fresh angles: Ayushman Bharat expansion, PMGKAY merger with NFSA, NEP 2020 implementation, and PLFS unemployment data. The 5-mark question format suits scheme-specific questions perfectly because a concise answer can state the target group, benefit, financing logic, and administrative mechanism. For Mains, the same topic also links to constitutional values, inclusive growth, gender outcomes, poverty reduction, and the role of local bodies in delivery.

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PREDICTED Predicted RAS Questions

Based on PYQ trends and 2026 syllabus analysis

1 5M What is Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY? State its coverage and benefit. 5 marks · 50 words

Model Answer

Ayushman Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), launched September 2018, is the world's largest government-funded health insurance scheme. Coverage: 55 crore individuals from 10.74 crore bottom-40% families (SECC database). Benefit: ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation across 31,000+ empanelled public and private hospitals. Cashless and paperless; portable across India. In 2024, extended to all citizens above 70 years of age — adding 4.5 crore beneficiaries.

~50 words • 5 marks