Government Schemes & Free Benefits
India already runs dozens of real, funded programs for healthcare, education, small business, and basic needs. Most citizens simply haven't heard of the ones that apply to them. Every scheme below links to its real official government portal, not a third party.
myScheme (Government of India)
The government's own official scheme-finder: answer a few questions about yourself and it lists every central and state scheme you may be eligible for, well beyond what fits on this page.
Basic Amenities & Food Security
PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)
Free foodgrain (5kg per person per month) for eligible ration card holders under the National Food Security Act, extended by the Cabinet through December 2028.
5kg free foodgrain per person, per month
Eligibility: Antyodaya and priority-household ration card holders
Jal Jeevan Mission (Har Ghar Jal)
Aims to provide a functional piped drinking water connection to every rural household in India, with the Cabinet approving additional funding to complete remaining connections.
Piped drinking water connection at home
Eligibility: Rural households not yet connected
PM Awas Yojana (Urban & Gramin)
Financial assistance to build or buy a home, run as two schemes: PMAY-Urban for cities and towns, and PMAY-Gramin for rural households.
Financial assistance toward a permanent home
Eligibility: Households without a pucca house, income criteria apply
Economy & Micro-Entrepreneurship
PM Mudra Yojana
Collateral-free loans for small and micro businesses, in three slabs: Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishor (₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh), and Tarun (₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh).
Collateral-free loans up to ₹10 lakh
Eligibility: Non-corporate, non-farm small or micro enterprises
PM SVANidhi
Collateral-free working capital loans for street vendors, released in three tranches (₹10,000, then ₹20,000, then ₹50,000) as earlier loans are repaid on time, with a 7% interest subsidy.
Loans from ₹10,000 up to ₹50,000, 7% interest subsidy
Eligibility: Street vendors with a vending certificate or ID
Stand-Up India
Bank loans between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore for setting up a new (greenfield) enterprise in manufacturing, trading, or services, specifically for women and SC/ST entrepreneurs.
₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore bank loan
Eligibility: Women, or SC/ST entrepreneurs, starting a new enterprise
Education & Youth Growth
National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
A single window for applying to dozens of central and state government scholarships at once, covering pre-matric, post-matric, and higher education levels.
One application for many government scholarships
Eligibility: Varies by individual scholarship, mostly income and academic criteria
PM-Vidyalaxmi (education loans)
The government's unified portal for education loan applications to study in India or abroad, linked directly to participating banks. This replaced the older Vidya Lakshmi portal.
Single application across multiple lenders
Eligibility: Students admitted to eligible institutions
PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
Free, short-term skill training and certification across trades like electrical work, healthcare support, retail, and IT, aimed at improving employability for youth with no or limited formal training.
Free training plus a recognized certificate
Eligibility: Indian youth, especially school or college dropouts
SWAYAM
Free online courses from school level through postgraduate study, developed by the Ministry of Education, with the option to earn academic credit at participating institutions.
Free courses, optional certification fee
Eligibility: Open to anyone, free to audit
DIKSHA
A free digital learning platform for school students and teachers, with content aligned to state and national curricula in multiple Indian languages.
Free curriculum-aligned learning content
Eligibility: Open to all school students and teachers
Healthcare & Medical
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY
Cashless health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care at empanelled hospitals. All citizens aged 70 and above qualify regardless of income.
₹5 lakh per family, per year, cashless
Eligibility: SECC 2011 deprivation criteria, or aged 70+ (any income level)
Jan Aushadhi Kendra (PMBJP)
Over 19,500 stores nationwide sell generic medicines, priced at roughly half (and for many medicines, far less) of equivalent branded prices, at the same quality standards.
Medicines typically 50 to 90% cheaper than branded
Eligibility: Open to everyone, no registration needed
Free Diagnostics, National Health Mission
Free essential diagnostic tests (blood, urine, X-ray, and more depending on the facility) at public health centres and government hospitals under the National Health Mission.
Free essential lab tests at government facilities
Eligibility: Any patient at a participating public health facility
Common questions
HelpIndiaBreathe does not administer any scheme listed here and cannot process applications on your behalf. We link to official government portals only. Benefit amounts and eligibility rules can change, always confirm current details on the official site. Know a scheme that should be here? Let us know.