Lok Sabha Question No. 4311 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Fulfilling the needs of Minority Communities
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Kuldeep Indora

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4311

ANSWERED ON 26.03.2025

## FULFILLING THE NEEDS OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES

## 4311.  SHRI KULDEEP INDORA:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any special measures during the last one year to fulfil the needs of the minority communities and bring them at par with the national mainstream through its special programmes; and

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken to realise the slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) & (b) The Government implements various schemes for the welfare and upliftment of every  strata, including  minorities,  specially  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 measures taken during the last one year to fulfil the needs of the minority communities are as under:

## 1. Employment and Economic Empowerment Schemes

- i) Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS): The Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme which converges five erstwhile schemes viz. 'Seekho Aur Kamao', 'USTTAD', 'Nai Manzil', 'Nai Roshni' and 'Hamari Dharohar'; and focuses on upliftment of six notified minorities through skill development;  entrepreneurship  and  leadership  of  minority  women;  and  education  support  for school dropouts. Under the Scheme, the efforts are being made to improve economic prospects and livelihood opportunities of minority communities.

## ii) National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC)

- :

In order to fulfill the needs of the Minority communities and to bring them on par with national mainstream, NMDFC has enhanced the annual family income limit under Credit Line 1 from Rs. 98,000/- in rural areas & Rs. 1,20,000/-  in urban areas to Rs. 3.00 lacs per annum in both rural & urban areas during the current F.Y. to enhance the coverage of its schemes.

## 2. Infrastructure Development Scheme

Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, is one of the flagship program 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 Ministry is working towards a convergence model whereby all the Schemes of MoMA is channelized to address the economic, social, and cultural deficits being encountered by otherwise neglected minority  communities. Therefore, the Buddhist Development Program (BDP) of the Ministry  was  launched  as  a  pilot  initiative  which addresses  the  diverse  needs  of  the  Buddhist population and advances their social and economic progress. The plan also includes infrastructural development in various sectors like Education, Health, Sports, Renewable Energy etc. through this project and cover majorly the Himalayan Belt starting from Ladakh to Sikkim. The respective States/ UTs/ CGOs implement and supervise the projects.

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