Lok Sabha Question No. 3798 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-18
Subject: Betterment of Minorities
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kunwar Danish Ali

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3798 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2021

## BETTERMENT OF MINORITIES

## 3798.  KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  betterment  of  minorities  in  the country; and
- (b) the funds allocated and spent so far for minority schemes during the last five years?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a):          Government  is  working  with  commitment  to  ensure  Development with Dignity, Empowerment without  Discrimination,  which  has  ensured  prosperity  in  life  of  weaker and  other  needy  sections  of  the  society  including  Minorities.  The  approach  of  the Government has led to Minorities being equal partners with other communities, in the educational & socio-economic development of the country.

The  Government  is  implementing  various  schemes  for  the  welfare  and  upliftment  of every  section  of  the  society  including  minorities  especially  economically  weaker  & downtrodden  sections  all  over  the  country  with  schemes  like  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN), Pradhan Mantri UjjwalaYojana  (PMUY),  Pradhan  Mantri AwasYojana (PMAY), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana, etc.

Ministry of Minority Affairs also  implements programmes/ schemes for socio-economic and  educational  empowerment  of  the  six  (6)  centrally  notified  minority  communities namely Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Jains and Muslims,. These schemes/programmes in brief are as under:-

(1) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme - For educational empowerment of students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT ) mode.

(2)  Maulana  Azad  National  Fellowship  Scheme  -  Provide  fellowships  in  the  form  of financial assistance.

(3) Naya Savera - Free Coaching and Allied Scheme - The Scheme aims to provide free coaching  to  students/candidates  belonging  to  minority  communities  for  qualifying  in entrance examinations of technical/ professional courses and Competitive examinations.

(4) Padho Pardesh - Scheme of interest subsidy to students of minority communities on educational loans for overseas higher studies.

(5)  Nai  Udaan  -  Support  for  students  clearing  Prelims  conducted  by  Union  Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Public Service Commission (PSC) Staff Selection Commission (SSC) etc.

(6) Nai Roshni - Leadership development of women belonging to minority communities..

(7) Seekho Aur Kamao - Skill development scheme for youth of 14 - 35 years age group and aiming at improving the employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc.

- (8) Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram  (PMJVK)-  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs implements  the  scheme  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram  (PMJVK)  in  identified Minority  Concentration  Areas  (MCAs)  of  the  country  with  the  objective  of  developing socio-economic assets and basic amenities for improving quality  of  life  of  the  people living  in  these areas. The Coverage of the scheme has extended in 2018-19 to 1300 MCAs in 308 districts of the country which includes 870 Minority Concentration Blocks, 321 Minority Concentration Towers and 109 Minority Concentration District Hqrs. The priority  sectors  under  PMJVK  are  education,  health,  skill  development  and  women centric projects.

(9) Jiyo Parsi - Scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India.

(10) USTTAD  (Upgrading  the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development)

(11) Nai Manzil - A scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts.

(12) Hamari Dharohar- A scheme to preserve rich heritage of minority communities of India under the overall concept of Indian culture.

(13)  Maulana  Azad  Education  Foundation  (MAEF)  implements  education  and  skill related  schemes  as  follows:-  (a)  Begum  Hazrat  Mahal  National  Scholarship  for Meritorious Girls belonging to the economically weaker sections of Minorities (b) Gharib Nawaz Employment Scheme started in 2017-18 for providing short term job oriented skill  development  training    to  youth  (c)  Bridge  Course  for madarsa  students &  school dropouts.

(14) Equity to National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) for providing concessional loans to minorities for self-employment and income generating ventures.

In addition to the above, the Ministry also implements schemes for strengthening State Waqf Boards and coordinates arrangements for annual Haj pilgrimage.

The details of the schemes (S. No.1 to 12)  mentioned above  and status of their implementation are available on the website of this Ministry (www.minorityaffairs.gov.in) and  those at serial No.(13) and (14) are available on the website  of  MAEF (www.maef.nic.in) and NMDFC (www.nmdfc.org ) respectively.

(b): During  the  period  from  2015-16  to  2019-20,  total  fund  allocated  for  Ministry  of Minority Affairs was Rs. 21160.84 crore and actual expenditure was Rs. 19,201.45 crore which is approx 90.75% of total fund allocated.

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