What is the total financial outlay of the Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal and Lignite Gasification Projects?

The correct answer is Talcher Fertilisers Limited and NTPC Limited. The Ministry said it had been informed that both companies had already submitted their applications through the online portal, and it used this fact to reject the claim that the scheme had received no takers. The other options list well-known public sector companies in coal, gas, lignite, refining and steel, all of which a candidate might reasonably associate with a coal gasification programme, and that is exactly why they appear as distractors. Note the wider context for the examination: the first-round deadline was 7 September 2026, and the Ministry pointed out that the number of applications could not be judged while the window was still open. The scheme also uses rolling rounds, so the next round opens the day after a round closes and stays open for two months, which means more applicants can come in later without being shut out.

The correct answer is 100 million tonnes. The release says the scheme will contribute significantly to the Government's broader objective of achieving 100 million tonnes of coal gasification capacity by 2030, which makes the pair of numbers, 100 million tonnes and the year 2030, one of the most likely items to be asked from this story. Options A, B and D are plausible-looking alternatives but find no support in the release. While revising, keep this national target separate from the three other figures attached to the scheme: the outlay of ₹37,500 crore approved by the Union Cabinet on 13 May 2026, the expected investment of about ₹2.5 lakh crore to ₹3 lakh crore across nearly 25 projects, and the expected employment of around 50,000 direct and indirect jobs. Also remember the output side of gasification, namely syngas, methanol, ammonia and urea, since a question can equally be framed on what coal is converted into rather than on the numbers.

The correct answer is the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, usually written as MSME. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi heads it, and Shobha Karandlaje is Minister of State. Option A is the trap that catches most candidates, because the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship does have a defined role here: it imparts the basic skill training that about 24.50 lakh Vishwakarmas have received. Running a component, however, is not the same as owning the scheme. Option C is wrong because the Ministry of Textiles handles handloom and handicraft programmes of its own but not this one. Option D is wrong because rural livelihood missions sit elsewhere. Note also that West Bengal joined the scheme in May 2026 and 3,000 beneficiaries there have already completed registration.

The correct answer is 17 September 2023. The Prime Minister launched the scheme on that day to give end-to-end support to traditional artisans and craftspeople engaged in 18 identified trades, which is why its third anniversary falls on 17 September 2026 and is being celebrated at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata. Option C is the sharpest trap, since it keeps the same day and month but shifts the year backwards, and a candidate who has memorised only the date will fall for it. Option B is wrong because no such launch took place on Independence Day. Option D is wrong because 2 October is associated with other national programmes rather than with this scheme. The package includes certificates and identity cards, skill upgradation, a toolkit incentive, credit support, incentives for digital transactions and marketing support.

The correct answer is 30 lakh. The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises stated that this many beneficiaries have been registered under the scheme after clearing a three-stage verification process, which means the registration target set for the scheme has been met within three years of its launch. Options A, B and D give figures that are either short of the achievement or beyond it, and questions on flagship schemes very often turn on the cumulative beneficiary count. Aspirants should carry the supporting numbers too: about 24.50 lakh Vishwakarmas have received basic skill training, 6.18 lakh have received loans totalling Rs 5,297 crore at a concessional 5 per cent a year, and 18.15 lakh modern toolkits have been delivered through India Post.