Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: United Arab Emirates
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
The Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana is a special social security scheme meant for overseas Indian workers, particularly those in the unorganised sector. Exam questions on this topic usually ask in which country or region the scheme was launched, because that location reflects where there is a large concentration of Indian migrant workers.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The scheme name is Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana.
- It is aimed at Indian workers abroad.
- The options give four countries: United States of America, Bhutan, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh.
- We must choose the country where India launched this scheme for its overseas workers.
Concept / Approach:
The Gulf region hosts a large number of Indian workers, many of whom work in low wage, unorganised sectors and need better social security and pension coverage. The United Arab Emirates is one of the main destinations for such workers. The Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana was designed to encourage voluntary savings for return and resettlement, old age pension and life insurance cover. It was promoted in Gulf countries, with special outreach in the United Arab Emirates, making it the correct answer for this question.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the scheme is targeted at overseas Indian workers in the unorganised sector, especially in Gulf countries.
Step 2: Identify which of the options represents a Gulf country with a very high population of Indian migrant workers.
Step 3: Recognise that the United Arab Emirates fits this description, with large Indian communities in cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Step 4: Recall that government publicity for Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana often mentioned its implementation and promotion in the United Arab Emirates.
Step 5: Therefore, select United Arab Emirates as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
You may have seen news articles or government press releases about outreach programmes for Indian workers in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The United Arab Emirates is frequently used as an example when schemes like Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana are discussed. Comparing this with the other options, none has the same combination of large Indian workforce and specific scheme promotion in the same way.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (United States of America) does have many Indian professionals, but the scheme mainly targets low and semi skilled migrant workers in the Gulf rather than highly skilled workers in North America.
Option B (Bhutan) hosts relatively few Indian migrant workers and is not a major focus area for such schemes.
Option D (Bangladesh) is also not a primary destination for Indian migrant labour; instead, it is usually the other way around, with Bangladeshi workers going abroad.
Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is to pick the United States simply because it is a famous destination for Indians. However, this scheme is more about social security for vulnerable workers in the Gulf. Another error is to think only in terms of geographic neighbourhood and choose Bhutan or Bangladesh, but those countries do not match the context of large overseas Indian worker communities. Remember to associate Gulf migrant worker issues with countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and others in that region.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is United Arab Emirates, where India actively launched and promoted the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana scheme for overseas Indian workers.
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