Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana | 13 Sep 2019

The Prime Minister recently launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana, & National Pension Scheme for the Traders and the Self-Employed, at an event in Ranchi.

  • The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) aims to secure the lives of 5 crore small and marginal farmers by providing them a minimum pension of ₹3000 per month, who attains the age of 60 years.
    • Eligibility: All small and marginal farmers (who own cultivable land up to 2 hectares) as per the land records of the concerned State/UT and are between 18 and 40 years of age are eligible under this scheme..
    • Contributions: Under PM-KMY, monthly contributions by a farmer can be made from the instalments of Pradhan Mantri-Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) or through Common Service Centres (CSCs).

Common Service Centres (CSCs)

  • The CSC is a strategic cornerstone of the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), approved by the Government of India in May 2006, as part of its commitment in the National Common Minimum Programme to introduce e-governance on a massive scale.
  • The objective of CSCs is to provide high quality and cost-effective video, voice and data content and services, in the areas of e-governance, education, health, telemedicine, entertainment as well as other private services.
  • A highlight of the CSCs is that it offers web-enabled e-governance services in rural areas, including application forms, certificates, and utility payments such as electricity, telephone and water bills.
  • The National Pension Scheme for the Traders and the Self-Employed aims at providing a minimum assured pension of ₹ 3000 per month, to small traders and self-employed individuals after they attain the age of 60 years.
    • Around 3 crore small traders would be benefitted from this scheme.
    • Traders and self-employed persons in the age group of 18-40 years are eligible to join the scheme.
    • The monthly contribution under the scheme is of ₹ 55 to ₹ 200, depending on the age of the applicant.
    • The self-employed shop owners, retail owners and other traders having an annual turnover of less than ₹ 1.5 crores will only be able to join the scheme.
    • Any person making a contribution to Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), National Pension System (NPS), Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM), and/or paying income tax is not eligible for the scheme.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

  • It is a government organization that manages the provident fund and pension accounts of member employees and implements the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
    • The Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 provides for the institution of provident funds for employees in factories and other establishments.
  • It is administered by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India.
  • It is one of the World's largest Social Security Organisations in terms of its customer base and the volume of financial transactions undertaken.

Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

  • It is a government organization formed under the provisions of Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948.
  • It looks at providing social security benefits to the workers registered under the Employee State Insurance Scheme.
  • It is administered by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India.
  • The Prime Minister also launched 462 Ekalavya model residential schools across the country in tribal-dominated areas.
    • The schools would focus to provide quality upper primary, secondary and senior secondary level education to Scheduled Tribe students in these areas.

Source: PIB