Central Government Schemes 2026: Major Schemes, Benefits, Eligibility & How to Apply
From financial assistance for farmers and health coverage for families to housing support, business loans, pensions, LPG connections and rooftop solar subsidies, the Government of India runs hundreds of schemes for different sections of the population.
But finding the right scheme can be difficult.
The government's official myScheme platform currently lists more than 710 Central Government schemes, alongside thousands of State and Union Territory schemes. These programmes cover areas including agriculture, education, healthcare, housing, financial services, employment, entrepreneurship and social welfare.
This Updated+ guide explains some of the major Central Government Schemes in 2026, who they are designed for, their key benefits and where eligible citizens can begin the application process.
Central Government Schemes 2026: Major Schemes at a Glance
1. PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi
For: Eligible landholding farmer familiesBenefit: ₹6,000 per yearPayment: Three equal instalments
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, or PM-KISAN, is a Central Sector scheme fully funded by the Government of India.
Under the scheme, eligible landholding farmer families receive ₹6,000 every year in three equal instalments, with the money transferred directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts.
There are exclusion categories, so owning agricultural land does not automatically make every farmer eligible.
The official PM-KISAN portal also states that eKYC is mandatory for registered farmers.
The 23rd instalment was released on June 20, 2026, according to the official portal.
Official services include: registration, Know Your Status, eKYC and beneficiary-related services.
2. Ayushman Bharat – PM-JAY
For: Eligible families and senior citizensBenefit: Health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is one of India's major publicly funded health-protection programmes.
In August 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said PM-JAY provides ₹5 lakh annual health cover to more than 12 crore vulnerable families.
The programme has also been expanded for senior citizens.
Indian citizens aged 70 years and above are eligible for health coverage irrespective of income, under the senior-citizen expansion. The ₹5 lakh limit operates on a family basis under the applicable rules.
Eligibility and coverage should be checked through the official Ayushman Bharat system before seeking treatment.
3. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban 2.0
For: Eligible urban householdsPurpose: Affordable housingImplementation period: 2024–2029
PMAY-U 2.0 provides housing assistance to eligible urban families through different components covering construction, affordable housing, rental housing and interest subsidy.
Eligible EWS, LIG and MIG households must generally not own a pucca house anywhere in India. Income limits vary by category.
Under the current guidelines:
EWS: annual household income up to ₹3 lakh
LIG: ₹3 lakh–₹6 lakh
MIG: ₹6 lakh–₹9 lakh
Applicants who received benefits from another Central, State, UT or local-government housing scheme during the previous 20 years are generally not eligible under PMAY-U 2.0.
Under the Beneficiary Led Construction component, eligible EWS households can receive financial assistance of up to ₹2.5 lakh, subject to scheme conditions.
4. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2.0
For: Eligible low-income householdsPurpose: Clean cooking fuel / LPG connection
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to expand access to LPG among eligible households.
Ujjwala 2.0 provides eligible beneficiaries with a deposit-free LPG connection, and the programme provides the first refill and hotplate free under the applicable scheme provisions.
The official PMUY portal reported more than 105.68 million connections released under the programme as of September 10, 2026.
Applicants should check current eligibility and documentation requirements on the official PMUY portal or through an authorised LPG distributor.
5. PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
For: Residential householdsPurpose: Rooftop solarCentral subsidy: Up to ₹78,000 under the standard subsidy structure
PM Surya Ghar supports households installing rooftop solar systems.
The Central subsidy structure provides:
The government designed the scheme to help households reduce electricity costs through rooftop solar, with the programme targeting up to 300 units of electricity per month through solar generation for participating households.
By May 2026, more than 40 lakh households had installed rooftop solar systems under the programme, according to the government.
Applications are made through the official PM Surya Ghar portal.
6. PM Vishwakarma
For: Artisans and craftspeople in eligible traditional tradesPurpose: Skills, tools, credit and market support
PM Vishwakarma provides support to artisans and craftspeople working in 18 traditional trades.
Benefits include:
PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID;
skill training;
₹500-per-day training stipend;
toolkit incentive of up to ₹15,000;
collateral-free enterprise loans of up to ₹3 lakh;
digital transaction incentives; and
marketing support.
The credit component is structured in two tranches up to ₹1 lakh followed by ₹2 lakh—at a concessional interest rate of 5%, subject to scheme conditions.
As of March 2026, more than 30 lakh artisans had registered under the scheme, according to government data.
7. Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana
For: Micro enterprises and entrepreneursPurpose: Collateral-free business creditMaximum: Up to ₹20 lakh in the qualifying Tarun Plus category
MUDRA provides institutional credit for eligible micro enterprises in manufacturing, trading, services and certain activities allied to agriculture.
Current loan categories are:
Category | Loan amount |
Shishu | Up to ₹50,000 |
Kishore | Above ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh |
Tarun | Above ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh |
Tarun Plus | Above ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh |
Tarun Plus is not available to every first-time borrower. It applies to entrepreneurs who previously availed and successfully repaid a Tarun loan.
The Government increased the maximum MUDRA limit from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh with the introduction of Tarun Plus from October 24, 2024. Collateral is not required under the programme's applicable lending framework.
8. Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana
For: Unbanked individualsPurpose: Financial inclusion
PMJDY allows eligible unbanked individuals to open a basic savings bank deposit account.
There is no minimum-balance requirement. Account holders receive a RuPay debit card and may qualify for additional facilities.
For new eligible PMJDY accounts opened after August 28, 2018, the RuPay card provides accident-insurance cover of ₹2 lakh. Eligible account holders may also access an overdraft facility of up to ₹10,000.
PMJDY accounts can also be used for Direct Benefit Transfer and linked financial-security schemes.
9. Atal Pension Yojana
For: Eligible citizens aged 18–40Purpose: Retirement incomePension: ₹1,000–₹5,000 per month after age 60, depending on the chosen contribution plan
Atal Pension Yojana is a voluntary contribution-based pension programme particularly intended to expand retirement security among lower-income and unorganised-sector workers.
Eligible subscribers choose a guaranteed minimum pension of:
₹1,000 / ₹2,000 / ₹3,000 / ₹4,000 / ₹5,000 per month
after reaching age 60, depending on their selected pension level and contributions.
New entrants must generally be between 18 and 40 years old. Since October 1, 2022, a person who is or has been an income-tax payer cannot newly join APY.
Importantly for a 2026 guide, the Union Cabinet approved continuation of APY through 2030–31 in January 2026.
10. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
For: Eligible bank-account holdersPurpose: Low-cost accident insurance
PMSBY provides renewable personal accident insurance.
The scheme provides:
₹2 lakh for accidental death or specified total disability, and ₹1 lakh for specified partial disability.
The official annual premium is ₹20 per member under the currently published scheme terms
Which Central Government Scheme Could Be Relevant to You?
How to Find Central Government Schemes You Are Eligible For
Rather than searching dozens of ministry websites individually, citizens can use the Government of India's myScheme platform.
The platform asks for basic demographic and eligibility information and then identifies potentially relevant schemes.
It covers both Central Government and State/UT schemes, so users should check which level of government administers a particular programme.
myScheme currently provides information about eligibility, benefits, documents and application procedures. It generally redirects applicants to the appropriate ministry or department's application system rather than processing every application itself.
Documents You May Need
There is no universal document list for all Central Government schemes.
Depending on the programme, applicants may need Aadhaar, PAN, bank-account information, mobile number, proof of residence, income certificate, land records, ration card, age proof, educational documents or occupation-related documents.
Check the scheme-specific requirements before uploading or submitting personal information.
Be Careful of Fake Government Scheme Websites
Government schemes frequently attract misleading websites, social-media posts and messages claiming guaranteed benefits.
Before entering Aadhaar details, bank information or OTPs, verify that you are dealing with the official scheme portal or another authorised government channel.
Never assume eligibility simply because an online article says that everyone can receive a particular benefit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some major Central Government schemes in 2026?
Major programmes include PM-KISAN, Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, PMAY-U 2.0, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Surya Ghar, PM Vishwakarma, MUDRA, Jan Dhan Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana.
Is there one website for finding Government of India schemes?
Yes. myScheme is the Government of India's national platform for discovering Central as well as State/UT government schemes according to user eligibility.
Which Central Government scheme gives farmers ₹6,000 per year?
PM-KISAN provides eligible landholding farmer families ₹6,000 annually in three equal instalments.
Which government scheme provides health cover of ₹5 lakh?
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY provides ₹5 lakh annual health cover to eligible beneficiary families. Citizens aged 70 or above are also covered under the senior-citizen expansion irrespective of socio-economic status, subject to the applicable programme rules.
Which Central Government scheme provides rooftop solar subsidy?
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana provides Central Financial Assistance for eligible residential rooftop solar installations, with the standard subsidy reaching ₹78,000 for a 3 kW or larger system.
Can I apply for all government schemes through myScheme?
Not necessarily. myScheme helps citizens discover schemes and provides eligibility, documentation and application information, but currently redirects users to the relevant application system for many schemes.
Updated+ Bottom Line
India has hundreds of Central Government schemes, but a long list of programme names is not necessarily useful.
The better approach is to start with your requirement—farming, healthcare, housing, business, pension, energy, education or financial security—identify potentially relevant schemes, check eligibility and then apply through the appropriate official government channel.
Because benefits, eligibility rules and application procedures can change, always check the latest government notification before applying.
Also read:
Updated+ Editorial Note: This article is an independent informational guide and is not affiliated with the Government of India. Scheme benefits, eligibility criteria, application procedures and deadlines may change. Information should be verified through the relevant ministry, department or official government portal before an application is submitted.
