Social justice ยท GS2
Eleven years of Jan Suraksha schemes
One line
Three mass social-security schemes, PMSBY, PMJJBY, and APY, completed eleven years.
Summary
Low-cost insurance and contributory pensions can reduce household vulnerability, especially among workers without employer-backed benefits. Enrolment, renewal, claim settlement, awareness, and contribution continuity determine effective protection.
PYQ pattern
UPSC may examine social insurance, financial inclusion, informal work, and the difference between enrolment and actual protection.
Core notes
- PMJJBY provides renewable life-insurance cover.
- PMSBY provides renewable accident-insurance cover.
- Atal Pension Yojana is a contribution-based pension scheme with a guaranteed pension linked to the chosen contribution slab.
- Bank-account access supports enrolment and auto-debit but does not by itself ensure adequate coverage.
Prelims lens
- Life insurance and accident insurance cover different contingencies.
- APY is administered through the pension-system architecture.
- These schemes are not identical to an unconditional cash transfer.
MCQ 1
Which pair is correctly matched?
- A. PMSBY: accident insurance
- B. PMJJBY: crop insurance
- C. APY: unemployment allowance
- D. PMSBY: old-age pension only
Reveal answerHide answer
A
PMSBY provides accident-insurance coverage.
MCQ 2
Effective social-insurance coverage depends on:
- Continued enrolment or contributions.
- Accessible claim settlement.
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 only
- C. Both 1 and 2
- D. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answerHide answer
C
Both continuity and usable claims processes matter for real protection.
Mains
Question, 10 marks, 150 words: Assess the role of low-cost insurance and pension schemes in extending social security to informal workers.
Approach:
- Explain risk pooling and pension saving.
- Discuss affordability and bank-linked delivery.
- Identify awareness, exclusion, renewal, and claim barriers.
- Suggest assisted enrolment and transparent claims data.