Lok Sabha Question No. 2992 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-11
Subject: Literacy among Minority Girls
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Santokh Singh Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2992 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.07.2019

## Literacy among Minority Girls

## 2992.  SHRI SANTOKH SINGH CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government has taken any steps to increase the literacy and education levels of girls from minority communities;
- (b)  if so, the details of schemes launched in this regard; and
- (c)  the number of persons who have received the benefit of these schemes, State/UT-wise?

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

(a) to  (c):  Yes  Sir.  The  Government  has  implemented  various  schemes  to  increase  the  literacy  and education level of girls belonging to the notified minority communities, namely, viz. Jain, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi, Muslim and Christian.

Details  of  the  schemes  implemented  for  the  educational  empowerment  of  six  centrally notified minorities by Ministry of Minority Affairs are as under:-

- (i) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme - For Class I to X.
- (ii) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme - For Class XI to Ph.D.
- (iii) Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme - For Professional and Technical Courses. Out of 3.18 Crore scholarships provided in the last five years, minority girls constituted

more than 50% of the total minority community beneficiaries.

- (iv) Maulana Azad National Fellowship - For M.Phil. and Ph.D
- (v) Free  Coaching  and  Allied  Scheme  (Naya  Savera) -  For  Competitive  Examination  of Professional Courses and Government Jobs.
- (vi) ' Padho  Pardesh '-  Scheme  of  Interest  Subsidy  on  Educational  Loans  for  Overseas Studies.
- (vii) Nai Manzil - A scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts.
- (viii) Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram (PMJVK):-  It  is  area  development  scheme.  The Ministry  has  identified  1300  backward  Minority  Concentration  Areas  (MCAs)  for  the implementation of this scheme.  It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for creating socioeconomic  infrastructure  as  well  as  basic  amenities  for  uplifting  the  quality  of  life  of minorities  in  the  MCAs.  The  thrust  of  the  Scheme  is  to  allocate  at  least  80%  of  the resources for education, out of which 33-40% are to be specifically allocated for women centric projects.
- (ix) Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) implements educational and employment related schemes:-
-  Begum  Hazrat  Mahal  National  Scholarship  for  Meritorious  Girls (girls specific scholarship scheme) belonging to the six centrally notified Minorities for class 9 th to 12 th .
-  Bridge  Course  for  dropout  students  -  by  Aligarh  Muslim  University,  Aligarh  and JamiaMilliaIslamia, New Delhi under Nai Manzil scheme.
-  Swachh Vidyalaya Initiative.

Further,  under  the  Prime  Minister's  New  15  Point  Programme  for  the  Welfare  of Minorities  which  is  an  overarching  programme,  covering  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  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. The  details  of  the  ongoing  schemes/programmesincluding  number  of  beneficiaries covered are available on the website of this Ministry www.minorityaffairs.gov.in; www.maef.nic.in and www.nmdfc.org.

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