Lok Sabha Question No. 651 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Schemes for Minorities to promote Entrepreneurship
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.651

ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

## SCHEMES FOR MINORITIES TO PROMOTE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## 651. DR. D RAVI KUMAR:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of all schemes, initiatives and programmes undertaken by the Ministry of Minority Affairs to promote entrepreneurship in the country particularly in Tamil Nadu;

(b) the performance data of the above-mentioned initiatives implemented in Tamil Nadu during the last five years and the current year including key performance indicators such as the number of beneficiaries, success stories, impact metrics and progress reports; and

(c)  the  details  of  Central  Government  allocations,  matching  grants  sanctioned  by  the  State Governments, amounts approved, released and actually spent during each of the last five years and the current year, year, scheme and district-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) and (b): The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) implemented various skill development schemes  namely  'Seekho Aur  Kamao',  'USTTAD',  'Nai  Roshni'and  'Nai  Manzil'  for  socioeconomic  development  of  youth  from  minority communities  and  trained over 10 lakh beneficiaries in the said schemes across the country, including over 12,000 beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu. These schemes and initiatives have now been converged into an integrated scheme called 'Pradhan  Mantri  Virasat  Ka  Samvardhan'  (PM  VIKAS),  inter-alia  focusing  on  promotion  of entrepreneurship among women from minority communities.

Ministry  initiatives  like  'Hunar  Haat'  and  'Lok  Samvardhan  Parv'  are  aimed  at  promoting entrepreneurship  among  traditional  artisans  through  showcasing  and  marketing  their  products. Since 2015 to till date, 41 'Hunar Haats' and 4 'Lok Samvardhan Parvs' have been organised by the Ministry across the country.

The  National  Minorities  Development  &  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC),  a  Govt.  of  India undertaking  under  the  Ministry,  provides  concessional  loans  for  self-employment  income generation  ventures  across  the  country  including  in  the  State  of  Tamil  Nadu.The  details  of concessional  loan  disbursed  &  beneficiaries  covered  by  Tamil  Nadu  Minorities  Economic Development Corporation (TAMCO) under NMDFC schemes during last five & current year are as follows:

| Financial Year   | Concessional Loan Disbursed by TAMCO [Amount in crores(INR)]   | Number of beneficiaries   |
|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| 2020-21          | 18.00                                                          | 6910                      |
| 2021-22          | 49.13                                                          | 6034                      |
| 2022-23          | 55.25                                                          | 8785                      |
| 2023-24          | 50.82                                                          | 10201                     |
| 2024-25          | 64.38                                                          | 19167                     |
| 2025-26          | To be disbursed                                                | To be disbursed           |
| Total            | 237.58                                                         | 51,097                    |

Further, NMDFC frequently undertakes impact study of its schemes across the country including in  the  state  of  Tamil  Nadu  by  engaging  independent  third-party  agencies. The  findings  of  the recent impact study report are as follows:

## Under Term Loans Scheme:

1. Female loan recipients increased from 31.9% in 2018-19 to 43.7% in 2020-21;
2. Average income increased by 15%; 45% saved a part of the increased income;
3. 41.2% reported improvements in education, social status, and health;
4. 86.4% found the loan process simple or satisfactory.

## Under Microfinance Loan Scheme:

1. 67% saw an average income increase of 15.5%;
2. 57% reported savings;
3. 35.3% noted improvements in education, social status, and health;
4. 96% found the application process simple.

## Under Education Loan Scheme:

1. More loans were granted to females;
2. 82% of loans were for rural areas;
3. Loans were availed mainly for Bachelor's degrees with 79% of graduates getting employed.
4. (c) The year-wise detail of fund allocated/released by the Government of India for Equity contribution in NMDFC & concessional loan disbursed by NMDFC through its SCAs, Punjab Gramin Bank & Canara Bank during the last five years & current year is as follows:

| F.Y.                    | Fund Allocated/Released by GOI for Equity Contribution in NMDFC [Amount in crores(INR)]   |   Concessional credit approved, released, disbursed &utilised by NMDFC [Amount in crores(INR)] |
|-------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2020-21                 | 110.00                                                                                    |                                                                                         650.41 |
| 2021-22                 | 100.00                                                                                    |                                                                                         700    |
| 2022-23                 | 159.00                                                                                    |                                                                                         881.7  |
| 2023-24                 | 61.00                                                                                     |                                                                                         765.45 |
| 2024-25                 | NIL                                                                                       |                                                                                         860.44 |
| 2025-26 (as on 30.6.25) | NIL                                                                                       |                                                                                          48.4  |

Under the schemes of NMDFC, there is no provision ofmatching grants by State Governments. NMDFC  has  delegated  authority  to  its  State  Channelizing  Agencies  (SCAs)  for  sanction, disbursement & recovery of concessional credit released by NMDFC to respective SCAs. Thus, only State wise fund released is maintained by NMDFC.

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