Lok Sabha Question No. 5421 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-25
Subject: BPL Minorities
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Mohammad Azam Khan

- (a)  :  No Sir.
- (b)  :There  is  no  proposal  to  carry  out  a  survey  for  identifying  the  minorities,  including Muslims living Below Poverty Line (BPL) in each State.
- (c)  to  (e):    Most  of  the  socio  economic  and  educational  empowerment  schemes  and programmes of the Central government are meant for the socio economically poor and  down-trodden  sections  of  the society including the six centrally notified minorities,  who  are  getting  equally  benefitted.  The  Ministries/Departments  of  the Central  Government  and  the  State  Governments  have  been  implementing  various schemes  in various sectors e.g. education, health, employment-oriented skill development, etc. for target groups including minorities for upliftment of their living standards.  In addition, other poverty alleviation and economic development schemes implemented by the Central Ministries/Departments also benefit the minorities.  .

Further, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has adopted  a multi-pronged strategy by way of  implementation  of  various  schemes  which  aim  at  educational  empowerment, employment-oriented skill development, infrastructure support, etc. for the upliftment

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5421 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2019 BPL Minorities

†5421. SHRI MOHAMMAD AZAM KHAN:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any such survey by which the Muslims and other minority people living Below Poverty Line (BPL) can be identified and if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (b) if not, whether the Government is proposing to conduct any such survey, if so, the details thereof;
- c) whether the Government has formulated any policy for the minority people living BPL specially for the upliftment of the living standard of Muslims;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF MINORITYAFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

of  living  standards  of the  notified  minorities  (Muslims,  Sikhs,  Christians,  Buddhists, Parsis and Jains).  Details of these schemes are as under:

## (A) 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 under-graduate and post-graduate levels.
- (iii) Nai Udaan- a scheme for providing support to minority candidates clearing Prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission, State Public Service Commissions, etc.,  to adequately equip them to compete for appointment to Civil Services in the Union and the States so as to increase the representation of the minorities in the Civil Services.
- (iv) Padho Pardes-  A  scheme for  providing  interest  subsidy  on  educational  loans  for overseas  studies  to  enable  students  from  minority  communities  to  pursue  higher education.
- (v) 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.
- (vi) In addition, the Maulana  Azad Education Foundation implements the following two schemes:
- (a)  Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for meritorious girls belonging to minorities in class IX to XII.
- (b)  Gharib Nawaz Employment Programme.

## (B)      Economic Empowerment

- (i) Employment-oriented Skill Development: programme
- (a) Seekho  aur  Kamao  (Learn  &  Earn)':  It  is  a  skill  development  initiative  for minorities  and  aims  to  upgrade  the  skills  of  minority  youth  in  various modern/traditional skills depending upon their qualification, present economic trends  and  market  potential,  which  can  earn  them  suitable  employment  or make them suitably skilled to go for self-employment.
- (b) Upgrading  Skill  and  Training  in  Traditional  Arts/Crafts  for  Development (USTTAD)-    The  scheme  aims  at  capacity  building  and  upgrading  of  the traditional skills of master craftsmen and artisans; documentation of identified
- traditional arts/crafts of minorities; set standards of traditional skills; training of minority  youths  in  various  identified  traditional  arts/crafts  through  master craftsmen; develop national and international market linkages; and preservation of languishing Arts/Crafts. Hunar Haats are organised in various parts of the country, which provides direct and indirect employment to skilled artisans and craftpersons.
- (c) Nai Manzil - A scheme to provide education and skill training to the youth from minority communities.
- (i) National Minorities Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) Loan Schemes  which 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.

## (C) Infrastructure Support

Besides,  there  is  another  Scheme  namely  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram (PMJVK), which aims at improving the socio-economic conditions of minorities and providing basic amenities so as to improve their quality of life and reduce imbalances in  the  identified  Minority  Concentration  Areas.  The major projects approved under the Education Sector and for Skill Development, include Residential Schools, School buildings,  Hostels,  Degree  Colleges,  ITIs,  Polytechnics,  Sadbhav  Mandaps,  Health Centres, etc.

Also,  under  the  Prime  Minister's  New  15  Point  Programme  for  the  Welfare  of Minorities, schemes/initiatives are being implemented by various 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 notified minorities.

The details of various schemes, being implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, as well as other Ministries/Departments for the welfare of minorities are available on the website of the Ministry of Minority Affairs at - www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.

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