Lok Sabha Question No. 2890 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-05
Subject: BPL Minorities
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Pradeep Kumar Singh

- (a)  and (b):  No Sir.
- (c)            :   There is no proposal to conduct a survey to ascertain the number of people from Muslims and other minority communities living Below Poverty Line (BPL)..
- (d)  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 deprived  sections  of  the  society,  including  the  six  centrally  notified  minorities,  who  are getting 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  of

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTIOIN NO.2890 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2019

## BPL MINORITIES

## 2890. SHRI  PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government has conducted any survey to ascertain the number of people from Muslim and other minority communities living below Poverty Line (BPL);
- (b)  if so, the details thereof, State and district-wise;
- (c)  if not, whether the Government proposes to conduct a survey for this purpose, if so the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  policy  for  improving  living  standards  of people living below the poverty-line in the country including Bihar; and
- (e)  if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

living  standards of the  notified  minorities  (Muslims,  Sikhs,  Christians,  Buddhists,  Parsis and Jains) across the country including Bihar.  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  providinginterest  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 craft persons.
- (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  to  improve  the  socio-economic  conditions  of  minorities  and provide basic amenities,so as to improve their quality of life and reduce imbalances in the identified Minority Concentration Areas.  The major projects considered  under PMJVK are in education, health and skill sectors and include Residential Schools, New  Schools,  Hostels,  Degree  Colleges,  ITIs,  Polytechnics,  Sadbhav  Mandaps, Health Centres, Skill 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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