Lok Sabha Question No. 2842 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-05
Subject: Review of 15-Point Programme
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rodmal Nagar, Janardan Mishra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTIOIN NO.2842 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2019

## REVIEW OF 15-POINT PROGRAMME

## 2842. SHRI RODMAL NAGAR: SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to launch new programme after review of 15point  programme  launched  in  2006  for  the  welfare  of  minorities  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (b) if not, the steps being taken by the Government to cover all minority community under the new 15-point programme?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) &  (b):   The Prime Minister's New 15 Point Programme 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 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  Six(6) centrally notified minorities viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis, as per details given below:

## (A)Educational Empowerment

- (i) Scholarship  Schemes-  Pre-Matric  Scholarship,  Post-Matric  Scholarship  and Merit-cum-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) 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.

## (B)Economic Empowerment

- (i) National  Minorities  Development  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC)  Loan Schemes  provideconcessional  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)

In  addition,  another  scheme  namely  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram (PMJVK) is implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs,  which aims to improve the socio-economic conditions and basic amenities of minorities so as to improve their quality of life and reduce imbalances in the identified Minority Concentration  Areas.    The  major  projects  approved  under  PMJVK  in  the education, health and skill sectors, include Residential Schools, School buildings, Hostels, Degree Colleges, ITIs, Polytechnics, Multipurpose Sadbhav Mandaps, Health Centres, Market Sheds, Hunar Hubs, Skill Centres etc.

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.