Lok Sabha Question No. 5372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-25
Subject: Schemes for Minorities
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kunhalikutty P.K.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5372 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2019

## Schemes for Minorities

## 5372. SHRI P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of Kasturba Gandhi BalikaVidyalayas that have been opened up in Muslim concentrated districts;
- (b) the details of various schemes implemented by the Government exclusively for the welfare of Muslim women;
- (c) the details of the beneficiaries of these schemes;
- (d) whether the Government has any plan to increase the number of pre-matric, post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarship given to Muslim students; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a) The  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy,  Ministry  of  Human Resource Development is implementing Integrated Scheme for School Education (ISSE) namely Samagra Shiksha since 2018-19, under which there is a specific provision  of Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalaya (KGBV)  to  promote  girls education.

Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas (KGBVs)  are  residential  schools from  class  VI  to  XII  for  girls  belonging  to  disadvantaged  groups  such  as SC,ST,OBC,  Minority  and  persons  Below  Poverty  Line  (BPL).  The  objectives behind establishing KGBVs is to ensure access to quality education to girls from disadvantaged groups by setting up residential schools and to reduce gender gaps at all levels of school education.

Out  of  5970  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidhalayas  (KGBVs)  sanctioned under Samagra Shisksa as on 31.03.2019, 4841 are operational enrolling 5.60 lakh girls.  1670 KGBVs have been sanctioned in 121 Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs)  and    88  Muslim  Concentration  Districts(Special  Focused  Districts)  of which  1177are  operational  having  enrolment  ranging  from  16.26%  to  27.71% Muslim Girls.

(b)&(c) The Ministryimplements two schemes specially for minority woman, namely; Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for Meritorious Girls [throughMaulana  Azad  Education  Foundation  (MAEF)]  belonging  to  the  six  centrally notified Minorities viz. Jain, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi, Muslim and Christian and ' NaiRoshni ' scheme for Leadership Development for those women who are willing and can  be  further  trained  under  any  short  duration  training  for  Economic  empowerment besides  general  handholding  so  that  they  could  get  sustainable  economic  livelihood opportunities through suitable wage employment or self-employment / micro-enterprises.

The Government is also implementing various other schemes for the welfare of six centrally notified minority communities wherein case of individual beneficiaries, 3033% seats are earmarked for minority girls details of which are as under:

- (1) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme
- (2) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme
- (3) Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme
- (4) Maulana Azad National Fellowship
- (5) Free coaching and Allied Scheme
6. (6)'Padho Pardes' - Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for
7. Overseas Studies.
- (7)    Support  for  students  clearing  Prelims  conducted  by  UPSC,  SSC,  StatePublic Service Commission (PSC) etc. (Nai Udaan)
- (8) Jiyo Parsi
- (9) Seekho Aur Kamao - Employment oriented Skill Development Initiatives
11. (10)Nai  Manzil-  A  World  Bank  assisted  scheme  for  formal  school  education &skilling ofschool dropouts.
12. (11)USTTAD (Upgrading  the  Skills  and  Training  in  Traditional  Arts/Crafts  for Development)  by  providing  a  platform  to  traditional  Master  Artisans  and Craft persons for getting opportunities and market by organising of HunarHaats.
13. (12)Hamari Dharohar -A scheme to preserve rich heritage of Indian MinorityCommunities under the overall concept of Indian Culture.
- (13) Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) - implemented inIdentified Minority  Concentration  Blocks,  Minority  Concentration  Towns  &  Clusters of Contiguous Villages for creation of basicinfrastructural assets.
- (14) National Minorities  Development  and  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC) providesconcessional  loans  for  self-  Employment  and  income  generating ventures.

Further,  the  Prime  Minister's  New  15  Point  Programme  for  the  Welfare  of Minorities  which  is  an  overarching  programme,  covers  various  schemes/initiatives  of the  participating  Ministries/Departments  and  is  implemented  throughout  the  country. All  the  schemes/initiatives  included  in  the  programme  are  implemented  by  the participating Ministries /Departments, either exclusively for or by earmarking of overall physical /financial targets for minorities. The programame aims to promote education as well as social welfare of minorities (including women) by ensuring equitable share in economic  activities  and  employment  through  existing  and  new  schemes,  enhanced credit  support for  self-employment and recruitment to State and Central Government jobs.

During the last five years, 2,97,000 women benefitted from the Nai Roshni scheme. Under Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship scheme (MAEF), 5,89,838 girls students have benefitted till date.

(d)&(e):  Yes  Sir,  The  government  during  the  last  five  years  has  provided  3.18 crores  scholarships  to  students  from  amongst  the  six  centrally  notified  Minorities namely,  Jain,  Buddhist,  Sikh,  Parsi,  Muslim  and  Christian.  Out  of  these,  girls constitute more than 50% of the beneficiaries. It is proposed to increase the number of  beneficiaries  under  the  three  Scholarship  Schemes  namely  Pre-Matric,  Post Matric  and  Merit-cum-Means  based  Scholarship  Schemes  being  implemented  by the  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  over  the  next  five  years  by  popularising  them among the six centrally notified minority communities and to earmark 50% of the scholarships for girls instead of 30% at present. Further measures will be taken to increase renewal of scholarships and minimize the dropout rates particularly under the pre-matric and post-matric Schemes to ensure that a child once registered under these Schemes completes school education or the training in the vocation of her/his choice.

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