What are the important government schemes for NDA, CDS and AFCAT 2026?
Between 1 February and 31 July 2026 the Union Government announced or approved 98 schemes, policies and major updates relevant to defence-exam current affairs. The largest single approval was Semicon 2.0 at ₹1,27,500 crore (15 July 2026); the largest defence item was ₹3.60 lakh crore of AoN accorded at the DAC meeting of 12 February 2026. February carried the Union Budget and the most announcements; March was the heaviest month for actual Cabinet approvals.
This is the complete GHATAK government schemes compilation for NDA, CDS, AFCAT and CAPF current affairs. Every entry carries the ministry, status, outlay and an exam trigger — the specific number, name or chronology most likely to be tested. Read the chapter for the month you are revising, or download the full 69-page PDF.
Download the full GHATAK notes (free PDF)
All 98 entries, February to July 2026, with ministry, outlay, target and exam trigger for every scheme. 69 pages. No sign-up, no email required.
The eight chapters
How many schemes were approved each month?
| Chapter | Entries | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | 45 | Union Budget month — the largest single source of announcements. PM-RAHAT, Startup FoF 2.0, Urban Challenge Fund and ~40 Budget items. |
| March 2026 | 10 | The heaviest Cabinet-approval month. JJM 2.0, BHAVYA, Modified UDAN, Small Hydro Power, IVFRT extension. |
| April 2026 | 6 | Rural roads, fertiliser subsidy and the labour-code milestone. PMGSY-III, NBS Kharif, Maritime Insurance Pool. |
| May 2026 | 4 | Four clean approvals in four sectors. Cotton Mission, ECLGS 5.0, Coal Gasification, SARTHAK-PDS. |
| June 2026 | 9 | The implementation month. PARIVARTAN, ATF Fund, BHAVYA Portal, DISHA 2.0, PM-KISAN 23rd instalment. |
| July 2026 | 11 | The biggest-ticket month. Semicon 2.0, MPMS, Samudra Manthan, PM-SSY, revamped Khelo India. |
| Defence Acquisitions (DAC) | 3 | All three DAC meetings and over ₹6 lakh crore of AoN. MRFA/Rafale, Dhanush, Akash Tarang, MPATGM. |
| Flagship Schemes in the News | 10 | Older schemes that hit milestones. PMJDY, PMJJBY, PMSBY, APY, PMMY, NAMASTE, Poshan 2.0, Mission Shakti. |
| Total | 98 | 1 February 2026 to 31 July 2026 |
The highest-value numbers to memorise
| Scheme | Figure | Month |
|---|---|---|
| Semicon 2.0 | ₹1,27,500 crore | July 2026 |
| Samudra Manthan (Central Sector Scheme) | ₹84,084 crore | July 2026 |
| Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme | ₹62,500 crore | July 2026 |
| Revamped Khelo India + ANSF | ₹36,441 crore | July 2026 |
| BHAVYA (100 industrial parks) | ₹33,660 crore | March 2026 |
| Modified UDAN (10 years) | ₹28,840 crore | March 2026 |
| Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 (total / Central) | ₹8.69 / ₹3.59 lakh crore | March 2026 |
| PM-KISAN continuation (2026-31) | ₹3.15 lakh crore | July 2026 |
| DAC AoN, 12 February meeting | ₹3.60 lakh crore | February 2026 |
| PM-RAHAT cashless treatment cap | ₹1.5 lakh per victim | February 2026 |
The traps examiners actually set
- Budget announcement vs Cabinet approval. The chemical parks proposal (February) became BHAVYA-Rasayan (July). India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 (February, ₹1,000 crore placeholder) became Semicon 2.0 (July, ₹1,27,500 crore).
- Three separate ₹10,000 crore funds in February — Startup India FoF 2.0, the SME Growth Fund and Biopharma SHAKTI.
- BHAVYA vs BHAVYA-Rasayan. Industrial parks under DPIIT versus chemical parks under the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.
- PM Surya Ghar vs PM Surya Sarovar Yojana. Rooftop residential solar versus floating solar on reservoirs.
- Approval date vs operationalisation date. BHAVYA approved 18 March, portal launched 8 June. DISHA 2.0 approved 22 June, launched pan-India in July.
- Central Sector vs Centrally Sponsored. Samudra Manthan is Central Sector, meaning fully Centre-funded.
- PMJJBY vs PMSBY. Life cover for any cause versus accident cover only, with a ₹2 lakh / ₹1 lakh split for total versus partial disability.
Frequently asked questions
How many government schemes were approved between February and July 2026?
98 entries across eight chapters, covering new schemes, Union Budget announcements, Cabinet approvals, extensions, restructurings, pilots, implementation milestones and defence acquisition approvals.
Which was the largest scheme approved in 2026?
Semicon 2.0, approved on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of Rs 1,27,500 crore under MeitY. Samudra Manthan followed at Rs 84,084 crore, and the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme at Rs 62,500 crore.
Is this PDF free to download?
Yes. The 69-page GHATAK compilation is free, with no sign-up or email required. It covers all 98 entries with ministry, status, outlay, target and an exam trigger for each.
Which month had the most Cabinet approvals?
March 2026 was the heaviest month for actual Cabinet approvals, including Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, BHAVYA, Modified UDAN and the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme. February had the most announcements overall because it contained the Union Budget.
Are these schemes relevant for NDA, CDS, AFCAT and CAPF?
Yes. Government schemes and defence acquisitions are standard General Knowledge and current affairs material across NDA, CDS, AFCAT and CAPF written papers, and they also come up in the SSB interview and group discussion.
What is an exam trigger?
The specific number, full form, ministry or chronology that a paper-setter is most likely to test from a given scheme. Every entry in the compilation carries one, so you can revise the testable fact even if you skim the detail.
Where this fits in your preparation
Current affairs is a scoring section precisely because it is finite. If you are preparing the written paper, pair this with our NDA coaching and CDS coaching pages. If you have a board date, current affairs also feeds the group discussion and lecturette at the SSB interview — and you can test your responses free with our mock SRT.
