Lok Sabha Question No. 423 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-03
Subject: Financial Assistance to Minorities
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rattan Lal Kataria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 423 ANSWERED ON 03.02.2022

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MINORITIES

## †423.   SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  prepared  any  plan  to  provide  financial  assistance  to strengthen the financial condition of minority communities;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government is  working  towards  providing  opportunities  in  basic  facilities, education, employment and health etc. to the minorities;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e)  whether  the  schemes  of  poverty  alleviation  and  economic  development  have  had  any positive impact on the lives of minorities during the last five years; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): 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 North Eastern States for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities namely Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Muslims, Parsis and Jains. The schemes/programmes implemented by the Ministry in brief are as under: -

## (A): Educational Empowerment Schemes:

(1) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme- Scholarship is provided to minority students from Class I to X, out of which 30% scholarship are earmarked for girls.

Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme- Scholarship is provided to minority students from Class XI to PhD., out of which 30% scholarship are earmarked for girls.

Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme- Scholarship is provided to minority students for  Professional and  Technical courses, at  Under  Graduate and Post  Graduate  level, out of which 30% scholarship are earmarked for girls.

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.

(2) Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme - Under the scheme fellowship in the form of financial assistance is provided to minority candidates who clear the UGC-NET or Joint CSIR UGCNET examination.

(3)  Naya  Savera  -  Free  Coaching  and  Allied  Scheme  -  The  Scheme  aims  to  provide  free coaching to students/candidates belonging to minority communities for qualifying in entrance examinations of technical/ medical professional courses and various Competitive examinations.

(4) Padho Pardesh - Under the scheme interest subsidy is provided to students of minority communities on educational loans, for overseas higher studies.

(5) Nai Udaan - 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.

## (B): Employment Oriented Schemes:

(6) Seekho Aur Kamao - Skill development scheme for youth of 14 - 35 years age group and aiming at providing employment and employment opportunities, improving the employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc.

(7) 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.

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

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

## (C): Special Schemes:

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

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

## (D): Infrastructure Development Programme:

(12)  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram  (PMJVK)  -  The  scheme aims to provide  basic infrastructure such as Schools, Colleges, ITIs, Polytechnics, Hostels, Sadbhav Mandap, Skill Development  Centres,  Drinking  water  and  Sanitation  facilities,  Health  Projects  including hospitals,  Sport  facilities,  Smart  classrooms,  Aanganwadi  Centers  etc.  in deprived  areas  of the  Country.  The  scheme  is  implemented  in  the  identified  areas  having  minimum  of  25% minority population and backwardness parameters below the national average in respect of socio economic or basic amenities or both.

(13)  Also,  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  (b) Gharib Nawaz  Employment  Scheme  started  in  2017-18  for  providing  short  term  job oriented  skill  development  training    to  youth  (c)  Grant-in-aid    to  NGOs  for  infrastructure development of educational institutions.

(14)  Equity  to  National  Minorities  Development  and  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC)  for providing  concessional  loans  to  minorities  for  self-employment  and  income  generating ventures.

The details of the schemes mentioned at S. No.(1) to (12) are available on the website of this Ministry  (www.minorityaffairs.gov.in) and those at serial No.(13) and (14) are available on the website of MAEF (www.maef.nic.in) and NMDFC (www.nmdfc.org) respectively.

(e)  &  (f):  Government  is  working  with  commitment  to  ensure  Development  with  Dignity, Empowerment without Discrimination,  which has ensured prosperity  in life  of  weaker and other needy sections of the society including Minorities. The approach of the Government has led to Minorities being equal partners  with other communities, in the educational & socioeconomic development of the country.

These  schemes  are  reviewed  from  time  to  time  and  restructured  keeping  in  view  the requirement  of  the  minority  communities.  Further,  performance  under  the  schemes  is  also monitored  on  a  continuous  basis  to  ensure  the  desired  outcome  in  terms  of  all  round development of the notified minorities.

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