Lok Sabha Question No. 582 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Minority Welfare Schemes
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 582

ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

## MINORITY WELFARE SCHEMES

†582.  SHRI BALYA MAMA SURESH GOPINATH MHATRE:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  major  challenges  in  the  implementation  of  minority  welfare  schemes  in Maharashtra, district-wise;
- (b)  whether the Union Government has held any review meeting with the State Government of Maharashtra to coordinate the implementation of such schemes, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any special programme or campaign is being undertaken in Maharashtra to connect minority communities with digital literacy; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof, district-wise and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) & (b): The Government implements the following 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 across the country, including Maharashtra, for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities viz. Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Parsi and Sikh. These schemes are as under:

## I. PMJVK Scheme

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

The execution, operation, and maintenance of the project units approved under PMJVK are  the  sole  responsibility  of  the  concerned  State  Government  or  Union  Territory  (UT) Administration, as applicable.

The  Ministry  regularly  holds  review  meetings  with  State/UT  authorities,  including  the Government  of  Maharashtra,  to  assess  both  the  physical  and  financial  progress  of  PMJVK projects. Additionally, National Workshops have been conducted to sensitize States/ UTs about the importance of adhering strictly to the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and the PMJVK guidelines.

## II. Scholarship Schemes

Ministry of Minority Affairs implements three scholarship schemes namely Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Schemes for the educational empowerment of six notified minority communities.

While no such challenge, specific to the State of Maharashtra had emerged during the implementation of the schemes, the common challenges include (i) Difficulty in following the time schedule for disbursement of scholarships due to start of academic session on different dates in  various  States/UTs;  (ii)  In  online  applications,  the  wrong  entry  of  bank  account  numbers, Aadhaar Number, spelling of name, etc, by the applicants, which result in rejection of payment by  the  banks  at  the  time  of  disbursement;  (iii)  Due  to  long  initial  process  of  application  and verification of scholarship applications, the payment starts only in 3 rd quarter and completed in 4 th quarter; (iv) Non-receipt of adequate proposals (maintaining community-wise balance) from North  Eastern (NE)  States  and (v)  Delayed  or  non-submission  of complete  Utilization Certificates by States every year.

## III. Jiyo Parsi Scheme

Jiyo Parsi Scheme is a unique Central Sector Scheme for arresting the population decline of the Parsi Community in India. The scheme was launched in the year 2013-14. The objective of the scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilize their population and increase the population of Parsis in India.

The scheme is being implemented through the State Governments with the assistance of selected Parsi Punchayets/Anjumans/Agiaries. In terms of the Guidelines of this scheme, State Government  verifies  the  applicants  and  gets  the  Biometric  Authentication  of  all  beneficiaries done annually. Only authenticated beneficiaries are considered for payments. Financial assistance to the beneficiaries of the Medical and the Health of Community (HoC) components is released under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Mode.

For proper Implementation of the Jiyo Parsi Scheme, a DO letter has been issued on 9 th July,  2025  to  the  State  Government  of  Maharashtra  for  expediting  the  verification  process  of applicants under the Medical and Health of Community components so that financial assistance can be released to eligible beneficiaries without delay. A  physical meeting under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Minority Affairs has been conducted on 11 th July 2025 at Mumbai with the officers of State Government of Maharashtra to expedite the process of verification.

In  addition  to  this,  the  Govt  of  Maharashtra  has  also  been  requested  for  conducting outreach  activities  among  the  Parsi  community  in  the  State  to  ensure  greater  awareness  and participation in the scheme.

## IV. Schemes implemented by NMDFC, a PSU under Ministry of Minority Affairs

National  Minorities  Development  &  Finance  Corporation  (NMDFC)  implements  its schemes 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 the State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) nominated by respective State Govt./ UT Administration, Punjab Gramin Bank and Canara Bank.

In the  State  of  Maharashtra,  Maulana  Azad  Alpsankhyak  Aarthik  Vikas  Nigam (MAAAVN) is the State Channelizing Agency (SCA) of NMDFC. No major challenge is being faced by MAAAVN in implementation of Minority welfare scheme in the state of Maharashtra.

A team from NMDFC had visited Mumbai and met Secretary, Minority  Development Dept.,  Govt.  of  Maharashtra,  in  June,  2025  and  requested  for  improving  grass  root  level recoveries and digitizing the loan records of the beneficiaries/loanees. The NMDFC team also assured to support MAAAVN to improve credit delivery infrastructure under the Grant-in-aid Scheme of Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Besides  above,  this  Ministry  has  also  implemented  various  skill  development  schemes like Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD and Nai Manzil. These schemes were implemented as Central Sector Schemes and hence, no physical/ financial targets were allocated to States.

(c)  &  (d): The  Ministry  has  sanctioned  1,520  units  of  Smart  Class  Rooms  to  the  State  of Maharashtra, at a total cost of ₹40.08 crore under PMJVK Scheme. The district-wise details of the sanctioned units are annexed .

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## Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to Parts (c) & (d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. †582 for  23.07.2025  regarding  'Minority  Welfare  Schemes'  raised  by  Shri  Balya  Mama  Suresh Gopinath Mhatre

The district-wise details of the sanctioned units in Maharashtra are as under:

| Name of District   | Approval Year   | No of Units approved   | Total Cost approved (Rs. in Lakh)   | Central Share approved (Rs. in Lakh)   | Total funds released (Rs. in Lakh)   |
|--------------------|-----------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| Ahmednagar         | 2020-21         | 8                      | 20.32                               | 12.19                                  | 3.66                                 |
| Akola              | 2020-21         | 320                    | 812.80                              | 487.68                                 | 146.30                               |
| Amravati           | 2020-21         | 160                    | 406.40                              | 243.84                                 | 73.15                                |
| Aurangabad         | 2020-21         | 134                    | 340.36                              | 204.22                                 | 61.26                                |
| Bid                | 2020-21         | 3                      | 58.32                               | 34.99                                  | 17.50                                |
| Buldana            | 2015-16         | 35                     | 151.80                              | 91.08                                  | 114.84                               |
| Chandrapur         | 2020-21         | 32                     | 81.28                               | 48.77                                  | 14.63                                |
| Dhule              | 2020-21         | 8                      | 20.32                               | 12.19                                  | 3.66                                 |
| Hingoli            | 2020-21         |                        | 269.24                              | 161.54                                 | 48.46                                |
| Jalgaon            |                 | 106                    |                                     | 15.24                                  |                                      |
| Jalna              | 2020-21 2020-21 | 10 14                  | 25.40 35.56                         | 21.34                                  | 4.57 6.40                            |
| Mumbai City        | 2020-21         | 4                      | 10.16                               | 6.10                                   | 1.83                                 |
| Osmanabad          | 2020-21         | 6                      | 15.24                               | 9.14                                   | 2.74                                 |
| Parbhani           | 2020-21         | 124                    | 314.96                              | 188.98                                 | 56.69                                |
| Ratnagiri          | 2020-21         | 12                     | 30.48                               | 18.29                                  | 5.49                                 |
| Sangli             | 2020-21         | 32                     | 81.28                               | 48.77                                  |                                      |
|                    |                 |                        |                                     |                                        | 14.63                                |
| Washim             | 2020-21         | 58                     | 147.32                              | 88.39                                  | 26.52                                |
| Yavatmal           | 2020-21         | 20                     | 50.80                               | 30.48                                  | 9.14                                 |
| Grand Total        |                 | 1520                   | 4008.20                             | 2404.92                                | 820.66                               |

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