Lok Sabha Question No. 411 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-12
Subject: Awareness about Welfare Schemes
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.411 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2018

## Awareness about Welfare Schemes

## 411. SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB: SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE: SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

Will the Minister of MINORITYAFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  evaluated  the  performance  of  its  awareness  campaign initiated to create awareness among the minority communities of the schemes/programmes meant for their welfare in the country, if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (b) whether there is an increase in beneficiaries of the said schemes/programmes after such awareness  campaign,  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  State/UT-wise  and  Scheme/Programme-wise during each of the last three years and the current year; and
- (c) the other steps taken by the Government in this direction?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c): The  awareness  campaign  is  carried  out  under  the  Scheme  of  Research/Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Schemes including Publicity of this Ministry to create awareness among the six centrally notified minority communities, namely, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains, about the schemes/programmes implemented by this Ministry for  their  welfare  in  the  country.    An  evaluation  study  of  this  scheme  of  awareness  has  been conducted in 2014 and a copy of this Study Report is available on the website of the Ministry at www.minorityaffairs.gov.in .  Based on the recommendations of this Study, the scheme has been revised and approved for implementation during 2017-18 to 2019-20.  A copy of the Guidelines of this scheme is also available on the website of the Ministry at www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.

Awareness  campaigns  carried  out  by  this  Ministry  have  created  positive  impact  on  the targeted  beneficiaries  which  has  resulted  in  increase  in  the  number  of  applications  received  in case  of  the  three  scholarship  schemes,  namely,  Pre-matric,  Post-matric  and  Merit-cum-Means based scholarship schemes, of this Ministry. Similarly, other schemes of the Ministry have also been benefitted through positive impact on the targeted groups through the nationwide awareness campaigns. The State/UT-wise details of applications received and number of beneficiaries under the said three scholarship schemes are available on the website of the Ministry at www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.

The  Government  has  taken  up  multi-media  campaign  to  spread  awareness of  welfare schemes  meant  for  minorities  through  print  and  electronic  media,  All  India  Radio  Network including  FM  Channels,  and  websites  all  over  the  country.  Pocket  booklets  and  pamphlets  on various schemes / programmes of the Ministry are published in Hindi, English, Urdu and other regional languages.  In order to directly reach out to the public especially minority communities and spread awareness among them, 'Progress Panchayats' are organized in various places.  Regional Coordination & Review Conferences are also held with State Governments from time to time where, inter-alia, information about the Ministry's schemes is provided. In addition, outdoor  publicity  is  also  being  done  by  organizing  'Hunar  Haat'.  Recently,  Hunar  Haats  have been organized at (i) India International Trade Fair 2016, 2017 & 2018, (ii) Baba Kharak Singh Marg,  New Delhi  in  February  2017  &  2018,  (iii)  Puducherry  in  September,  2017,  &  October, 2018, (iv) Mumbai in January, 2018, and (v) Allahabad in September, 2018, to further promote traditional crafts/arts, generate employment and strengthen their market linkages.

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