Lok Sabha Question No. 763 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-06
Subject: Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: P. Ravindhranath

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 763 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2020

## PRIME MINISTER'S 15 POINT PROGRAMME

## 763 SHRI P. RAVEENDRANATH KUMAR:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the aims and objectives of Hon'ble 'Prime Minister's 15 Point Programme' being implemented for the welfare of minorities in the country along with its implementation status in the State of Tamil Nadu during the last six years and the current year;
- (b) whether the Union Government has evaluated the performance of the Programme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the achievements made under the programme during the said period?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a)  to (c):  The Prime Minister's New 15 Point Programme (PM's New 15 PP)  for the Welfare of Minorities was launched in 2006 with the following broad objectives:
- (i) Enhancing opportunities for education;
- (ii)  Ensuring  an  equitable  share  for  minorities  in  economic  activities  and  employment, through existing and new schemes, enhanced credit support for self-employment, and recruitment to State and Central Government jobs;
- (iii) Improving the conditions of living of minorities by ensuring an appropriate share for them in infrastructure development schemes; and
- (iv) Prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence.

Under the said Programme, various schemes/initiatives are implemented by Ministries/Departments of the Central Government throughout the country, including Ministry of  Minority  Affairs,  either  exclusively  or  by  earmarking  of  15%  of  overall  physical/financial target, wherever feasible, for the welfare of six (6) centrally notified minorities viz. Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis, and Sikhs as per details given below:

## I. Educational Empowerment

- (i) Scholarship  Schemes-  Pre-Matric  Scholarship,  Post-Matric  Scholarship  and  Meritcum-Means based Scholarship.
- (ii) Naya Savera - Free Coaching and Allied Scheme with the aim to enhance skills and knowledge of students and candidates from minority communities to get employment in  Government  Sector/  Public  Sector  Undertaking,  jobs  in  private  sector,  and admission  in  reputed  institutions  in  technical  and  professional  courses  at  undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
- (iii)  Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme, provides financial assistance to students from  notified  minority  communities,  to  pursue  higher  education  such  as  M.Phil  and Ph.D.
- (iv)  In  addition,  the  Maulana   Azad Education Foundation implements the following two schemes:
- (a)  Begum  Hazrat  Mahal  National  Scholarship  for  meritorious  girls  belonging  to minorities studying in Classes IX to XII.
- (b)  Gharib Nawaz Employment Programme.

## II. Economic Empowerment

- (i) National  Minorities  Development  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC)  Loan  Schemes provide concessional loans for self-employment and income generating activities for the  socio-economic  development  of  the  'backward  sections'  amongst  the  notified minorities.
- (ii) Priority Sector Lending by Banks.(Department of Financial Services)
- (iii) National Urban Livelihoods Mission (M/o Housing & Urban Affairs)
- (iv) National Rural Livelihoods Mission (M/o Rural Development)
- (v) Deen Dayal Upadhyay - Gramin Kaushal Yojana (M/o Rural Development)
- (vi) Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin)- (M/o Rural Development)

As per the guidelines for implementation of the PM's New 15 PP, review and monitoring of the performance of the schemes is reviewed with the Nodal Officers from all the Ministries/Departments concerned at least once every quarter and to obtain feedback and resolve problems  and  provide  necessary  clarifications.  Further,  the  progress  of  implementation  of  the Programme is monitored once in six months by a Committee of Secretaries and a report is also required to be submitted to the Union Cabinet.

Besides, evaluation of the schemes covered under the PM's New 15 PP is also carried out by the Ministries/Departments through independent agencies, from time to time.

State-wise achievements (including that of Tamil Nadu) made under the programme are available at the Ministry's website www.minorityaffairs.gov.in

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