Module: General Practice
Q168: Consider the following regarding the "National Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Hub" (NSSH).
Assertion (A): The NSSH scheme provides professional support to SC/ST entrepreneurs to fulfill the obligations under the Public Procurement Policy.
Reason (R): Despite the mandatory 4% procurement target, the actual procurement from SC/ST MSEs historically remained low due to gaps in supply chain capacity.
Reason (R): Despite the mandatory 4% procurement target, the actual procurement from SC/ST MSEs historically remained low due to gaps in supply chain capacity.
✅ Correct Answer: A
The NSSH (National SC/ST Hub) was launched to provide professional support (tender participation, vendor development) to SC/ST entrepreneurs (Assertion is True). This intervention was necessary because, while the overall 25% procurement target was often met, the specific sub-target for SC/STs (4%) was consistently missed due to a lack of supply capacity and awareness (Reason is True). Thus, R correctly explains why A (the Hub) was created.