Lok Sabha Question No. 5236 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Policies/Programmes for Development of Minorities
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Dharmendra Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5236

ANSWERED ON 02.04.2025

## POLICIES/PROGRAMMES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MINORITIES

## 5236.  SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the key Government policies and programmes formulated specifically for the development of minority communities;
- (b)  the  mechanisms  put  in  place  to  monitor  the  implementation  and  ensure  reach  of  the  said programmes to the intended beneficiaries;
- (c)  the  manner  in  which  the  Government  is  tackling  the  specific  challenges  being  faced  by various minority communities in the country;
- (d) the details of skill development programmes being offered to enhance the employability of youth belonging to the minority communities;
- (e)  the  manner  in  which  the  traditional  skills  and  crafts  of  minority  communities  are  being preserved and promoted; and
- (f)  the  measures  being  taken  to  address  the  issues  of  discrimination  and  social  boycott  being faced by the minority communities?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) and (b) The  Government  implements  various  schemes  for  the  welfare  and upliftment of every  strata, including  minorities,  especially  the  economically  weaker and  lesser privileged sections of the society. Ministry of Minority Affairs specifically implements various schemes for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities, these schemes  are implemented  across the country. The Schemes/ programmes implemented by the Ministry are as under:

## 1. Educational Empowerment Schemes

- i. Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme
- ii. Post Matric Scholarship Scheme
- iii. Merit-cum-Mean based Scholarship Scheme

The  Scholarship  Schemes  are  implemented  through  National  Scholarship  Portal  (managed  by NIC)  which  is  a  continuously  evolving  platform.  Scholarship  payments  are  done  through Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS) under DBT mode so that benefit could reach to the genuine beneficiaries.

## 2. Employment and Economic Empowerment Schemes

## i) Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS)

ii) National  Minorities  Development  and  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC) :  It  implements schemes of Term Loan, Micro Finance, Education Loan & Virasat Scheme for socio-economic development  of  'backward  sections'  among  the  notified  minority  communities  by  providing concessional  loan  for  self-employment  income  generation  ventures  across  the  country.  The schemes of NMDFC are implemented through State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) nominated by respective State Govt./ UT Administration, Punjab Gramin Bank and Canara Bank.

To  monitor  implementation  of  its  schemes,  NMDFC  regularly  conducts  'beneficiary verification' and 'impact assessment study' by engaging independent third-party organizations/agencies to assess the proper utilization  & impact of NMDFC financing on the target groups across the country.  NMDFC officials also visit different States/UTs for beneficiary interaction.

## 3. Infrastructure Development Scheme

i) Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK ) : "Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram" (PMJVK) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and one of the flagship program of the Ministry for creation of community infrastructure in the Minority Concentration Areas of the country in the sectors viz. Education, Health, Skill Development, Women Centric Projects, Drinking Water and Supply,  Sanitation  and  Sports.  The  aim  of  the  scheme  also  includes  to  boost  the  social  and economic conditions of the Minority Communities of that particular areas.

The projects under PMJVK are considered and approved on the basis of the requests received from  the  respective  State  Governments/UT  Administration.  The  formulation  of  the  project proposal submission thereof to the Ministry; execution of the approved projects and operation & maintenance of the completed projects is the responsibility of the respective State Governments/UT Administration.

- (c) and (f) National Commission for Minorities (NCM), a statutory body under the Ministry was  established  under  the  NCM  Act,  1992.  As  part  of  its  function,  it  receives  petitions  of minorities and takes them up with the appropriate authorities/ State Governments for necessary action. Further, to promote communal harmony, Hon'ble Chairman and Members of the NCM hold  regular  meetings  with  the  representatives  of  the  minority  communities.  Moreover,  NCM conducts 'Sarv Dharam Samvad with representatives of minority communities to discuss issues faced by the communities and promote communal harmony.
- (d) and (e) The  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  (MoMA)  has  been  implementing  various skilling  and  education  schemes  for  socio-economic  development  of  minorities  to  make  them employment ready.

Pradhan Mantri  Virasat  Ka  Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is a  flagship  Scheme of MoMA  which converges  five  erstwhile  schemes  and  focuses  on  upliftment  of  minorities  through  skill development;  entrepreneurship  and  leadership  of  minority  women;  and  education  support  for school dropouts.

Prior to PM VIKAS, the Ministry provided skill training to youth from minority communities to increase employment and livelihood opportunities under the 'Seekho Aur Kamao', 'Nai Manzil', and 'USTTAD' schemes, which have now been converged into the PM VIKAS scheme. No new targets were allocated under the said erstwhile schemes after 2020-21.

A brief of these schemes along with achievements made therein is as under:

- i)  Seekho  aur  Kamao  (SAK)  scheme ,  started  in  2013-14,  targeted  to  upgrade  the  skills  of minority youth  (14-45  years)  in  various  modern/  traditional  skills  depending  upon  their qualification,  prevailing  economic  trends,  and  market  potential,  that  could  earn  them  suitable employment or make them suitably skilled to take up self-employment. Since inception, about 4.68 lakh beneficiaries have been trainedunder the scheme.
2. ii)  Nai  Manzil scheme started  in  2015,  and  was  implemented with an objective to benefit the minority  youth  who  do  not  have  formal  school  leaving  certificate.  The  scheme  provided  a combination of formal education (Class VIII or X) and skills and enabled the beneficiaries to seek better employment and livelihoods. Since inception, 98,712 beneficiaries have been trained under the scheme.
3. iii) USTTAD and Hamari Dharoharscheme started in 2015 for targeted capacity building and upgrading of the traditional skills  of master craftsmen/  artisans.  Since  inception,  about  21,611 beneficiaries have been trained under the scheme.
4. iv)  Nai  Roshni ,  a  Leadership  Development Programme for Minority Women was launched in 2012-13  with  an  objective  to  empower  and  instill  confidence  among  minority  women  by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, banks and other  institutions  at  all  levels.Since  inception,  over  4.35  lakh  beneficiaries  have  been  trained under the scheme.

Ministry engaged institutions of national repute namely, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), National Institute of Design (NID) and Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) to work  in  various  craft  clusters  for  design  intervention,  product  range  development,  packaging, exhibitions and brand building etc.

Ministry initiatives like Hunar Haat and Lok Samvardhan Parv aim at creating awareness about the schemes and providing opportunities to upliftminority traditional artisans through showcasing and marketing their products. Since 2015 to till date, 43 such events have been organised by the Ministry across the country.

Further details of schemes are available on the website of Ministry i.e www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.

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