Lok Sabha Question No. 3147 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-04
Subject: Scholarship to Minority Students
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3147

ANSWERED ON 04.08.2022

## SCHOLARSHIP TO MINORITY STUDENTS

3147. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  Pre-Matric  and  Post-Matric  scholarship  provided  to  students  from minority communities in West Bengal during the financial years 2015 to 2021, religionwise;
- (b) the details of schemes  implemented  at  present  for  the  welfare of minority communities in West Bengal especially in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts; and
- (c)  the details of the funds spent thereon, scheme-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a):  The  details  of  Pre-Matric  and  Post  Matric  scholarships  provided  to  the  students belonging to 6 notified minority communities namely, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Muslim,  Sikh  and  Zoroastrian  (Parsi)  in  West  Bengal  during  the  years  2015-16  to 2021-22 are given below:

|                                | Community-wise details         | Community-wise details         | Community-wise details         | Community-wise details         | Community-wise details         | Community-wise details         | Amount of Scholarship(in       |
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Total Scholarship Sanctioned   | Buddhist                       | Christian                      | Jain                           | Muslim                         | Parsi                          | Sikh                           | ₹ Crore)                       |
| Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  | Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme  |
| 4224237                        | 16075                          | 78562                          | 4270                           | 4121587                        | 900                            | 2843                           | 655.94                         |
| Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme | Post Matric Scholarship Scheme |
| 385231                         | 3759                           | 8972                           | 830                            | 370835                         | 155                            | 680                            | 211.74                         |

(b)  &  (c):The  Government  has  implemented  various  schemes  for  the  welfare  and upliftment of every section of the society including minorities especially the economically weaker & lesser privileged sections of the society with schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana, etc. Ministry of Minority Affairs also implements programmes/ schemes across the country including for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities. The schemes/programmes implemented by the Ministry in brief are as under: -

## (A): Educational Empowerment Schemes:

(1) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme (w.e.f. 2008-09) - Scholarship is provided to minority students from Class I to X, whose parental/guardian's income is not more than ₹1 Lakh per annum. 30% scholarships are earmarked for girl students.

(2)  Post-Matric  Scholarship  Scheme  (2007-08)  -  Scholarship  is  provided  to  minority students from Class XI to Phd., whose parental/guardian's income is not more than ₹ 2 Lakh per annum. 30% scholarships are earmarked for girls students.

(3) Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme (2007-08) - Scholarship is provided to minority students for Professional and Technical courses, at Under Graduate and Post Graduate  level  whose  parental/guardian's  income  is  not  more  than  ₹  2.5  Lakh  per annum.  30% scholarships are earmarked for girl students.

All  the  three  Scholarship  schemes are on  boarded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and the scholarship amount is disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

(4)  Maulana  Azad  National  Fellowship  Scheme  (w.e.f.  2009-10)  -  Under  the  scheme fellowship in the form of financial assistance is provided to minority candidates who clear the  UGC-NET  or  Joint  CSIRUGC-NET  examination  and  whose  parental/guardian's income is not more than ₹ 6 lakh per annum. 30% seats are earmarked for girl students.

(5) Padho Pardesh (w.e.f. 2013-14)- Under the scheme interest subsidy is provided to students of minority communities on educational loans, for overseas higher studies and whose  annual  parental/guardian's/employed  candidate's  income  is  not  more  than  ₹  6 lakh per annum. 35% seats are earmarked for girl students

(6)  Naya Savera - Free Coaching and Allied Scheme (w.e.f. 2006-07)  - The Scheme aims to provide free coaching to students/candidates belonging to minority communities whose family income is not more than ₹ 6 lakh per annum,  for qualifying in entrance examinations  of  technical/  medical  professional  courses and  various  Competitive examinations. 30% seats are earmarked for girl students.

(7)  Nai  Udaan  (w.e.f.  2013-14)  -  Support  is  provided  to  minority  candidates  clearing Preliminary examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Public Service Commission (PSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) etc. whose family income is up to₹ 8 lakh per annum.

(8)  Scheme  for  Providing  Education  to  Madarsas/Minorities  (SPEMM)is a  Centrally Sponsored  Scheme,  which  has  been  transferred  from  the  Department  of  School Education  &  Literacy  (DoSEL),  M/o  Education  to  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  w.e.f. 1st April,  2021. The  SPEMM  comprises  of  two  schemes namely  (i) Scheme  for Providing

Quality Education in Madarsas (SPQEM) and (ii) Infrastructure Development in Minority Institutions (IDMI).

## (B): Employment Oriented Schemes:

(9)  Seekho Aur Kamao - Skill  development scheme for youth of 14 - 45 years age group and aiming at providing employment and employment opportunities, improving the employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc.

(10)  USTTAD  (Upgrading  the  Skills  and  Training  in  Traditional  Arts/Crafts  for Development). An effective platform to provide self-employment, market and opportunity  to  traditional  artisans  and  craft  persons  from  the  minority  communities. Hunar  Haats  are  being  organised  across  the  Country  to  provide  employment opportunities and markets to artisans/craftsmen.

(11) Nai Manzil - A scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts or educated in community educational institutions like Madarsas.

(12) Nai Roshni - Leadership development of women belonging to minority communities and non-minority communities (not exceeding 25% of each batch).

## (C): Infrastructure Development Schemes:

(13) Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) - A Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS),  is  being  implemented  with  the  objective  to  develop  infrastructure  projects  in identified area. The priority sectors under PMJVK  are Education, Health, Skill Development, Sports, Sanitation, Solar Energy, Women Centric projects etc.

## (D): Special Schemes:

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

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

(16)   (i)   Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme (QWBTS) -The scheme is intended to help streamlining record keeping, introduce transparency and to computerize the various functions/processes of the Waqf Boards.

(ii)  Shahari  Waqf  Sampatti  Vikas  Yojana  (SWSVY)- Under  this  scheme,  interest  free loan to Waqf Boards (WBs)/Waqf Institutions is  granted for construction of economically viable buildings  on the waqf land.

(17)  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 pursuing ClassIX to XII whose parental/guardian's income is not more than ₹ 2 Lakh per annum.

(b)  Grant-in-aid  to  NGOs  for  infrastructure  development  of  schools  working  for  the educationally backward minorities.

(18) Equity to  National  Minorities  Development and  Finance Corporation  (NMDFC) for providing  concessional  loans  to  minorities  for  education,  self-employment,  income generating ventures and micro financing.

The details of the schemes mentioned at S. No.(1) to (16) are available on the website of this  Ministry  (www.minorityaffairs.gov.in)  and  those  at  serial  No.(17)  and  (18)  are available  on  the  website  of  MAEF  (www.maef.nic.in)  and  NMDFC  (www.nmdfc.org) respectively.

The Scheme-wise details of physical and financial achievements made in the State of West Bengal are as under:

(i)  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram  (PMJVK)-The  districts  of  Darjeeling  and Kalimpong were included under PMJVK from 2013-14. During 2013-14 to 2021-22, in Darjeeling  District,  559  units  of  infrastructure  set-ups  viz.  School  buildings,  Additional class rooms/laboratories/Toilets in schools, Hostels, ITIs, Anganwadi Centres etc. have been constructed with a total project cost of ₹ 7538.36 Lakh. During 2013-14 to 2021-22, in  Kalimpong  District,  230  infrastructure  units  have  been  constructed  with  total  project cost of ₹ 3852.53 lakh.

(ii) Free  Coaching  and  Allied Scheme  (Naya  Savera)-  District-wise data is not maintained under the Naya Savera scheme. During 2015-16 to 2021-22, for coaching of 4920 students/candidates, ₹ 31.43 Crore have been spent under the Scheme in West Bengal.

(iii)  Seekho  Aur  Kamao (Learn and Earn) Scheme  - Since inception,  about 4.68 lakh beneficiaries  have  been  trained  under  this  scheme,  with  32,492  beneficiaries  in West Bengal. Since inception, ₹1452.67 crore funds have been utilized.

(iv) Upgrading the Skills and  Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts  for  Development (USTTAD)-Since inception, 23,000 beneficiaries have been trained, with 1076 beneficiaries  from  West  Bengal.  Under  this  scheme,  Hunar  Haats  are  organized  that provide  a  platform  to  artisans  to  showcase  their  handcrafted  products  across  various cities. 41 Hunar Haats have also been organized so far. Since inception, ₹ 278.07 crore funds have been utilized under the scheme.

(v) Hamari Dharohar scheme- has supported works like printing of 2000 exclusive photo books  highlighting  the  life  of  Guru  Nanak  Dev  ji,  organizing  of  5  mushaira/  kavi sammelan, etc. Since inception, ₹ 30.68 crore have been utilized under the scheme.

(vi) Nai  Roshni  Scheme-  Since  inception,  4.35  lakh  beneficiaries  have  been  covered under this scheme, with 8850 beneficiaries from West Bengal. Since inception, funds to the tune of ₹ 111.24 crore have been utilized under the scheme.

(vii) Nai Manzil Scheme - Since inception, 98,000 beneficiaries have been trained under this  scheme  with  an  utilization  of  ₹448.57  crore  under  the  scheme.  Out of  this,  5,900 beneficiaries  have been provided education & training, with an expenditure of ₹ 24.77 crore in West Bengal so far.

(viii)Schemes implemented by NMDFC-

Under  Term  Loan  Scheme,  during  2015-16  to  2021-22,  ₹  1940.45  lakh  have  been disbursed  as  Concessional  loans  to  2155  beneficiaries  in  Darjeeling  district  while ₹3368.03 lakh have been disbursed to 3031 beneficiaries in Kalimpong district.

Micro  Finance:  During  2015-16  to  2021-22,  ₹  3477.39  lakh  have  been  disbursed  to 20,231 beneficiaries in Darjeeling district while, ₹5602.15 lakh have been disbursed to 30,159beneficiaries in Kalimpong district.

(ix) Schemes of MAEF-

BHMNS-During 2018-19 to 2020-21, 10 students in Darjeeling district and 2 students in Kalimpong Districts have been sanctioned Scholarships to the tune of ₹ 69,000. During the years, 2015-16 to 2021-22, a total of 92,459 scholarships have been sanctioned for students of West Bengal amounting to ₹ 53.22 Crore.

Grant in Aid - Since inception, ₹ 4.24 Crore have been released to 31 Non-Government Organizations.

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