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, through various schemes of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Rural Development.

Ministry of Minority Affairs specifically implements various schemes across the country for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities. The details of programmes and initiatives introduced by the government and the manner in which these initiatives have affected the lives of the Minority Communities are as under:

1. Educational Empowerment Schemes

i. Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme

ii. Post Matric Scholarship Scheme

iii. Merit-cum-Mean based Scholarship Scheme

(B) Employment and Economic Empowerment Schemes

i) Erstwhile Seekho aur Kamao (SAK), Nai Manzil, USTTAD and Nai Roshni, schemes have been converged into an integrated scheme called ‘Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS)’ for minority communities.

ii) National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation(NMDFC) provides concessional loans to minorities on refinance mode which supports them in their Economic empowerment and generation of livelihoods. Government supports the NMDFC in execution of this programme.

(C) Special Schemes

1. Jiyo Parsi: A Scheme for reversing the population decline of parsis in India.
2. Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme(QWBTS) and Shahari Waqf Sampatti Vikas Yojana(SWSVY) to increase the earning of Waqf Properties.

(D) Infrastructure Development Schemes

Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) to provide infrastructure for Socio-economic development of Minority concentrated areas.

The Scheme wise details are available on the website of the Ministry i.e www.minorityaffairs.gov.in

All the schemes together have contributed in the acquisition of high level skills, greater opportunities in livelihood, high employability potential, improved access to better infrastructure, improved health and in the overall welfare of the Minority Communities.

This information was given by the Minister of Minority Affairs, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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SS/TFK