UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 15 October 2026

About:

• Mission Karmyogi or National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB).
• Mission Karmayogi aims to prepare Civil Servants for the future by making them more creative, constructive & innovative through transparency and technology.
• This unique programme will help to lay the foundation for civil servants in the country.
• There will be more focus on 'on-site learning' in complementing "off-site learning".
• Objectives:
  • The stated aim of Mission Karmayogi is to provide a mechanism to continuously build capacity, update the talent pool, and provide equal opportunities for personal and professional growth and esteem of government officials at all levels.
  • Karmayogi seeks to shift the focus from rule-specific to role-specific.
  • The Mission will help training the officers to meet the challenges of the society.
  • It aims at building future-ready civil service with the right attitude, skills & knowledge, aligned to the vision of New India.
  • The endeavour is also to end the culture of working in the silos and to overcome the multiplicity of training curriculum because of the institutions spread all over the country.
  • It will improve the Human Resource management practices in the Government and will use scale & state of the art infrastructure to augment the capacity of Civil Servants.
• Executing Bodies:
  • It will be steered by four new bodies.
  • The new entities will be a Prime Minister’s Public Human Resources Council, a Capacity Building Commission, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will own and operate the digital assets and technological platform for online training, and a Coordination Unit, which will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary.

Q1) Who are civil servants of India?

Civil servants are the actual makers of Indian law and policy. They work on behalf of the elected government and cannot publicly show their disinterest or disapproval for it. It is mandatory for them to form certain rules and policies according to the government's views and interests. 

Source: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh says, "Mission Karmayogi", launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, had institutionalised the process of capacity building, particularly for the benefit of civil servants

Why in news?

• States have been asked to ensure that their share of funds is transferred to the Single Nodal Agency (SNA) for the CSS scheme within 30 days of receiving central funding instead of 40 days, as allowed earlier.
• Any delay beyond 30 days would attract a ‘penal interest’ of 7% per annum.
• This ‘penal interest’ by a state that delays prescribed fund flow will be transferred to the Consolidated Fund of India.

What is a centrally sponsored scheme?

• These are schemes that are funded partially by both the Central and State Governments.
• It is a channel which the central government uses to help the states run their plans financially.
• The amount of state participation varies from state to state.
• Their implementation rests on the Union territories and the States.
• These schemes are further divided into three categories based on their funding patterns i.e. the core of the core, core and optional.
  • The flagship schemes of the central government are called Core of Core schemes or umbrella schemes.
  • Examples: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGA), National Social Assistance Programme etc.
  • Core schemes: The funding pattern is usually 60:40. The central government takes up more share in these schemes and the states are expected to pitch in the remaining funds.
  • Although, in cases of difficulty where states like North Eastern states, Jammu & Kashmir, and some special category states need extra attention, a 90:10 ratio of funding can be seen usually.
  • Examples: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Pradhan Mantri A was Yojana (PMAY), Integrated Watershed Development Programme etc.
  • Optional schemes: Normally state governments plan the schemes and request the central government to fund some portion of the total outlay. The general funding pattern of the optional schemes is 50:50 (State: Center).
  • However, the Central government may take up the task of funding more if the scheme is to be implemented in backward areas or difficult terrains.
  • Examples: Border Area Development Programme, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission among others. 

Q1) What are the Central sector schemes?

Central sector schemes (CSS) are schemes that are fully funded and implemented by the central government of a country, without any financial contribution from the state or local governments.

Source: Centre tightens fund flow rulebook for CSS schemes; brings penal interest clause

About Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojna:

• The Van Dhan Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED. 
• It was launched on 14th April 2018 and seeks to improve tribal incomes through the value addition of tribal products.
• Implementation:
  • The scheme will be implemented through the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.
  • At the State level, the State Nodal Agency for MFPs and the District collectors are envisaged to play a pivot role in scheme implementation at the grassroots level.
  • Locally the Kendras are proposed to be managed by a Managing Committee (an SHG) consisting of representatives of Van Dhan SHGs in the cluster.
• A typical Van Dhan Vikas Kendra constitutes 10 tribal Van Dhan Vikas Self Help Groups (SHG), each comprising of upto 30 MFP gatherers or tribal handicraft artisans i.e. about 300 beneficiaries per Kendra.
• The initiative is expected to provide an enhanced livelihood to about 25 lakh tribal gatherers in the country.

Q1) What is a Self Help Group?

Self Help Groups (SHGs) are small groups of poor people. The members of an SHG face similar problems. They help each other to solve their problems. SHGs promote small savings among their members.

Source: Provides 15 lakh rupees per VDVK under the PMJVM for support of livelihood activities of tribal people in the country