Define inclusive growth and list four flagship schemes that operationalise the concept in India today.
Subtopic: Economy · Inclusive growth
How to structure your answer
Introduction: Inclusive growth — economic expansion that spreads opportunity, reduces inequality and reaches marginal groups (NITI Aayog framing).
Body: 1) Income — MGNREGA (right to 100 days wage), PM-KISAN (₹6,000/year to 11+ crore farmers). 2) Financial inclusion — PMJDY (53+ crore accounts), Stand-Up India. 3) Health-nutrition — Ayushman Bharat PMJAY ₹5 lakh cover, POSHAN 2.0. 4) Skill-credit — PMKVY 4.0, PM SVANidhi for street vendors.
Way forward: Strengthen DBT plumbing via PFMS; scale Lakhpati Didi to 3 crore; gender-budget every scheme above ₹500 crore.
Written within the word limit
123 words · target 150 words · 9 min
Introduction: NITI Aayog's MPI 2023 records 24.85 crore people moved out of poverty between 2013-14 and 2022-23, anchoring inclusive growth — defined by the 11th Five Year Plan as growth that creates jobs, reduces inequality and reaches excluded groups.
Body: Four flagship schemes operationalise the concept. (i) MGNREGA (NREGA 2005) guarantees 100 days of wage employment; 5.84 crore households received work in FY25 with outlay ₹86,000 crore (MoRD). (ii) PM-KISAN transfers ₹6,000 annually to 9.4 crore farmers; cumulative outflow ₹3.7 lakh crore (PIB March 2026). (iii) AB-PMJAY provides ₹5 lakh cover to 12 crore families, with 8.2 crore hospitalisations (NHA). (iv) PMAY (Urban+Gramin) targets 4.95 crore houses, 3.85 crore completed; PMAY-U 2.0 commits another 1 crore houses with ₹10 lakh crore.
Way forward: NITI Aayog should align these schemes through SAMARTHYA dashboards with Aadhaar-PFMS to reduce inclusion error below 5% by FY27.
What an examiner expects to see
- MGNREGA — 2005 Act, statutory right to 100 days
- PMJDY accounts crossed 53 crore (Jan 2025)
- PM-KISAN — ₹6,000/year to 11+ crore farmers
- PMJAY — ₹5 lakh family cover, 55 crore beneficiaries
- Lakhpati Didi target 3 crore
- PM SVANidhi — ₹50,000 working capital ceiling
Concrete cases, schemes and judgments
- Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity
- Mission Indradhanush 5.0
- Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women
- Aspirational Districts Programme