Prelims Focus 11th June 2026

Prime Minister of India

In News: By taking over the position of Jawaharlal Nehru as the longest serving Prime Minister in India to hold office through successive mandates, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has equalled the record set by previous PMs Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

• Constitutional Position (Article 75): The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and is the head of the Union government and has the executive power.
• Council of Ministers (Article 74): The Prime Minister leads the Council of Ministers which assists the President in the performance of his constitutional duties and gives him advice.
• Role of the Prime Minister: The Prime Minister is the primary channel of communication between the President and the Council of Ministers and is responsible for taking decisions on the policy and giving the President the advice on various matters like appointments, summoning the Parliament and dissolution of the Lok Sabha etc.
• Head of Key Bodies: The Prime Minister presides over various important bodies/ councils such as NITI Aayog, National Integration Council and Inter-State Council.

Ayushman Bharat Scheme

In News: West Bengal is the last State in the country to come under the ambit of the flagship health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

Ayushman Bharat Scheme

• It was launched in 2018, by the Government of India to achieve universal health coverage. It has two key components;
  • Aspiration for AYUSHMAN BHARAT, PM-JAY (Pradhan Mantri- Jan Arogya Yojana) 
  • Ayushman Arogya Mandir 

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri- Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)

• The biggest publicly funded health assurance scheme in the world to provide health cover of Rs. is called as AB PM-JAY. Hospitalization charges: 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary level hospitalisation.
• Coverage: It covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days of post – hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines.
• The beneficiary can go to any empanelled public/private hospital in India for cashless treatment.
• There is NO age, gender or family size limit.
• Households are included based on the deprivation criterion of the Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011) for rural areas and occupational criterion for urban areas.
• This number also comprises of families covered under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) but which were not available in the SECC 2011 database.
• The funding for the scheme is based on a split between the Centre and the state of 60:40.
• The ratio in the remaining states is, however, 90:10 for North-Eastern states, Himalayan states (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) and the Union territories.

Ayushman Arogya Mandir

• The component resulted in the establishment of 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) which are now called ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’.
• They are established by upgrading the Sub Health Centres (SHCs), rural and urban Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to provide health care at a closer reach to the community. 
• The aim is to provide Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) along with the provision of follow-up care to the patients in the community. 
• The essential health services along with the provisioning of essential medicines and diagnostics are provided closer to the community through these centers.

VB-G RAM G

In News: The government has recommended an interim allocation of Rs 95,692 crore to states and union territories so that the transition from MNREGA to Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin (VB-G RAM G) can be smoothened.

• VB-G RAM G will be a replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA).
• The transfer will be away from a “demand-driven framework” to a “supply-driven scheme”.
• Statutory Wage employment guarantee: It will increase the guarantee of wage employment from 100 days per rural household in each financial year to 125 days per rural household in each financial year for adults who volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme: The scheme will be adopted as Centrally Sponsored Scheme and the sharing ratio to North-Eastern and Himalayan States/UT will be 90:10 and remaining States will be 60:40.
• Normative Allocation to States based: The states will give distribution of the funds across the Districts and Gram Panchayats with transparency and based on need, considering the category of Gram Panchayats and local developmental needs.
• Joblessness benefit: If the eligible applicants are not offered employment within the stipulated time the State Government will be compelled to pay joblessness benefit. 
• VGPP based planning: Planning will be done using Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans prepared by Gram Panchayats that will be linked to national spatial planning systems. 
• Institutional Oversight: Central Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Council and State Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Councils shall be established to review, monitor and bring effective implementation of provisions of the legislation in their respective area. 

Land Port Management System (LPMS): Vinimay

In News: Under the Smart Borders initiative, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Land Port Management System (LPMS) ‘Vinimay’ in New Delhi.

• It is a single platform of India, which aims to digitize and integrate all cargo operations and passenger movements across various land borders in real time with data sharing and coordinated operations.
• A Land Port is an authorized road or railway crossing where customs, immigration and trade operations are conducted. 
• The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) is a statutory body set up under Land Ports Authority of India Act, 2010 and is responsible for the development and management of Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) of the border.
• LPMS key features include AEW, integration with agencies like CBIC and BSF, secure real-time data exchange of logistics and regulatory data, and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) for automated gate management.

Blood Test Predicts Lung Cancer Five Years Early  

In News: Scientists have discovered a groundbreaking blood test that identifies a unique pattern of 14 specific proteins, successfully predicting lung cancer risk more than 5 years before clinical diagnosis. 

• This breakthrough offers an entirely new method for catching lung cancer in a “pre-disease” phase, allowing doctors to intervene before a tumor even forms. 

Key highlights of the research include:

• The Mechanism: Instead of detecting an existing tumor, the test identifies specific biological changes and chronic inflammation in the lungs. 
• Study Scope: Researchers analyzed over 48,000 blood samples and successfully validated the 14-protein signature across eight international datasets. 
• Broader Reach: Unlike traditional screening methods (like Low-Dose CT scans) which are often restricted to older, heavy smokers, this blood-based approach works for both smokers and non-smokers. 
• Preventive Potential: Researchers are also studying whether this signature could help identify individuals who would benefit from targeted preventive therapies. 

National SC-ST Hub (NSSH): Promoting Inclusive Entrepreneurship

In News: The Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) is actively promoting inclusive entrepreneurship through the National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Scheme, which aims to empower SC/ST entrepreneurs. Launched in 2016 and implemented by the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), the initiative addresses the systemic challenges faced by marginalized communities in scaling their businesses.   

• The scheme’s primary objective is to facilitate the inclusion of SC/ST Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in mainstream value chains and public procurement, helping them reach the mandated 4% procurement target set by the Government of India.  

Key Interventions and Support Mechanisms 

The NSSH provides targeted assistance across several operational areas to help enterprises build competitiveness: 

• Credit and Finance Facilitation: It supports the purchase of plant, machinery, and equipment through the Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (SCLCSS). 
• Market Access and Vendor Development: The Hub organizes conclaves and Special Vendor Development Programmes (SVDPs) to connect SC/ST entrepreneurs directly with Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and government agencies. 
• Skill Enhancement: It covers course fee reimbursements (up to 90% or ₹1 lakh) for management and skill development programs at top-tier business institutes. 
• Reimbursement Support: Financial relief is provided on testing fees (NABL accredited labs), quality certification fees (BIS), Export Promotion Council memberships, and government e-commerce portal onboarding (such as GeM). 
• Special Marketing Assistance Scheme (SMAS): It facilitates participation in domestic and international exhibitions to showcase products and services to a wider audience. 

Download as PDF