Government Schemes & Social Justice(November 2025)

1. PM Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PM-JUGA)

Also known as Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, this scheme saw rapid scaling in November to reach "saturation" (100% coverage) in tribal villages.

• Scope: Covers over 63,000 tribal-majority villages across 549 districts.
• November Milestone: As of November 11, 2025, the Ministry of Rural Development confirmed the sanctioning of over 12.7 lakh pucca houses and the completion of 6.4 lakh units under the mission.
• Inter-Ministerial Convergence: 17 ministries are now integrated into the portal. In November, projects for tribal home-stays worth ₹17.7 crore were sanctioned for Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, and Madhya Pradesh to boost eco-tourism.

2. Social Security for the Gig Economy

Following the implementation of the New Labour Codes (as discussed in Pillar 1), the government launched a specific drive for the Gig Workers Scheme in November.

• Action: Over 1 crore online platform workers (Swiggy, Zomato, Dunzo, etc.) were targeted for registration on the e-Shram portal.
• Benefits: Registered workers became eligible for Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) health insurance coverage (up to ₹5 lakh/family) and issued universal identity cards for easier access to social security.

3. Financial Empowerment: Lakhpati Didi & Namo Drone Didi

• Lakhpati Didi: By November 30, 2025, the cumulative number of Self-Help Group (SHG) women who became "Lakhpati Didis" (earning >₹1 lakh/year) crossed 2 crore, moving closer to the target of 3 crore.
• National Workshop: A high-level workshop on "Agriculture and Livestock Entrepreneurship" was held in Udaipur (Nov 11–13) to train SHGs in scaling up rural businesses.
• Namo Drone Didi: Allocation of drones to the final batch of 15,000 selected Women SHGs for the 2025-26 cycle was finalized in early November.

4. Solar Justice: PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

• Progress Check: As of November 26, 2025, the scheme achieved a major milestone—18.7 lakh rooftop solar (RTS) systems were successfully installed, benefiting over 23 lakh households.
• Target Reach: The scheme has now covered nearly 24% of its national target of 1 crore households.
• Simplification: In November, the government waived the "technical feasibility requirement" for loads up to 10 kW, making it easier for middle-class families to switch to solar without red tape.

5. Social Justice & Scholarships (Monthly Audit)

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment released its monthly achievement report for November:

• Post-Matric Scholarship (SC): Over ₹7,210 crore was released to 61.7 lakh SC students by Nov 30.
• Venture Capital Fund (SC/BC): New sanctions worth ₹587 crore were approved for 140 companies owned by Scheduled Caste entrepreneurs to promote "Job Givers over Job Seekers."
• Intervention for Waste Pickers: A new profiling drive was concluded in November, registering 2.5 lakh waste pickers for PPE kits and PM-JAY health insurance.

6. PM-DevINE: Northeast Infrastructure Milestone

• News: On November 3, 2025, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) launched projects worth ₹233 crore in Meghalaya.
• Key Project: The Integrated Sohra Tourism Circuit was sanctioned under the PM-DevINE scheme.
• Goal: To transform Sohra (Cherrapunji) into a sustainable, high-end tourism hub, expected to create over 4,600 local jobs.

7. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) Audit

• Verification (Nov 7): The Ministry of Rural Development shared a major update on NSAP (the pension scheme for the elderly, widows, and disabled).
• Digital Life Certificates (DLC): It was confirmed that as of November, over 2.5 crore beneficiaries (out of 3.09 crore) have successfully transitioned to Aadhaar-linked accounts.
• The "Jeevan Pramaan" App: The newly launched mobile app for facial recognition-based Life Certificates saw massive adoption in November, helping elderly pensioners avoid physical visits to banks.

8. Agriculture & Natural Farming

• PM-KISAN (21st Installment): On November 19, 2025, PM Modi released the 21st installment of the PM-KISAN scheme, transferring ₹18,000 crore to 9 crore farmers during the South India Natural Farming Summit in Coimbatore.
• PM-PRANAM Progress: 14 states were officially recognized in November for successfully reducing chemical fertilizer consumption by 15.14 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT), triggering the release of 50% of the saved subsidy as grants to those states for alternative farming.

9. Employees' Enrolment Scheme (EES) 2025

• New Launch: The Ministry of Labour launched a special "amnesty-style" window in November.
• Objective: To allow employers to enroll workers who were left out of the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) between 2017 and 2025, with reduced penalty rates to ensure more formal sector workers get social security.

10. Global Leadership: World Summit for Social Development

• The Event: India participated in the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar (November 4–6, 2025).
• India’s Pitch: India showcased its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) models as global blueprints for poverty eradication and social inclusion.
• Significance: This set the stage for India’s upcoming 3-year term on the UN ECOSOC starting January 2026.

11. Senior Citizen Welfare: "Aradhana" & AVYAY

• Event "Aradhana": On November 28, 2025, the MoSJE organized a massive cultural event titled “Aradhana” in New Delhi.

• Objective: To promote "Active Ageing" and intergenerational bonding. It featured performances by the Air Force Band and Padma Shri Geeta Chandran to honor the wisdom of India's 10 crore+ senior citizens.

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• AVYAY Scheme: The government released updated guidelines for the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) on November 27, focusing on "Vriddha Mitra" (Ageing in Place) toolkits to help seniors live independently in their own homes rather than in assisted care.

12. Education & Scholarships (Monthly Release Data)

The Department confirmed the following cumulative disbursements by November 30, 2025:

• Post-Matric (SC): ₹7,210.80 crore released to 61.71 lakh students.
• Pre-Matric (SC): ₹604.15 crore released to 30.74 lakh students.
• OBC/EBC/DNT Students: ₹759.98 crore was disbursed for Post-Matric scholarships, benefiting 24.53 lakh students.
• Top Class Scholarship: Revised guidelines were issued on November 27 for SC students, expanding the list of premier institutions covered under the scheme.

13. Innovation for Social Justice

• Ambedkar Social Innovation & Incubation Mission (ASIIM): By November, the ministry reported that ₹26.11 crore had been sanctioned to 104 startups led by SC youth to promote "tech-entrepreneurship" in Tier-2 cities.
• Venture Capital for Backward Classes (VCF-BC): A milestone of ₹122.88 crore in sanctions was reached this month, supporting 28 companies owned by OBC entrepreneurs.

14. Swachhata & Efficiency

• Special Campaign 5.0: The implementation phase concluded on November 7, 2025.
• Outcome: The MoSJE cleared over 4,500 sq. ft. of office space and generated revenue by disposing of obsolete items, prioritizing the digitisation of over 10,000 pending e-files.