10 Government Schemes You May Be Missing Out On

Central and state governments run hundreds of welfare schemes, but benefits only reach people who know to apply. Here are ten central schemes that many eligible families never claim. Eligibility rules and amounts change, so always confirm on the official portal before you apply, and never pay a middleman for a free government form.

Farmers and rural families

• PM-KISAN: income support of Rs 6,000 a year, paid in three instalments directly to the bank accounts of eligible landholding farmer families. Registration is through the PM-KISAN portal or a Common Service Centre, and e-KYC is required.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana: assistance to build a pucca house, in rural areas (PMAY-G) and towns (PMAY-U), for families without one.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: a free LPG connection for women from poor households.

Health and insurance

• Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: health cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for hospital treatment at empanelled public and private hospitals. Check eligibility and get an Ayushman card through the official portal or app.
• Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): life cover of Rs 2 lakh for a small annual premium, for account holders aged 18 to 50, auto-debited from your bank account.
• Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): accident cover of Rs 2 lakh for death or permanent total disability, for an even smaller annual premium, for account holders aged 18 to 70.

Savings and pensions

• Atal Pension Yojana: a guaranteed monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 from the age of 60, depending on your contribution. Open to account holders aged 18 to 40 who are not income-tax payers.
• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: a high-interest, tax-free savings account for a girl child under ten, opened at a post office or bank.

Work and education

• Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana: collateral-free loans for small non-farm businesses through banks, in Shishu, Kishore and Tarun categories.
• National Scholarship Portal: one window for central and many state scholarships for students from school to postgraduate level.

How to check what you qualify for

Search our schemes directory by category and state. The government's myScheme portal also asks a few questions about you and lists the schemes you are likely to be eligible for. Keep Aadhaar-linked bank details, a ration card if you have one, and income and caste certificates ready; they are the documents most schemes ask for.