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 across the country for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities. These schemes are meant for the weaker segments of minority communities.  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

 

2. Employment and Economic Empowerment Schemes

i)  Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS).PM VIKAS scheme comprises of the following components which target to improve employability and support in generating better livelihood opportunities for the targeted beneficiaries.

a) Skilling and Training component

b) Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship component

c) Education support component (for school dropouts)

Further, the scheme targets to promote credit and market linkages for the beneficiaries.

ii)    National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) : NMDFC provides concessional loan to “Backward sections” amongst the notified minorities for self-employment income generation activities under its schemes of Term loan, Education loan, Virasat scheme & Micro Finance scheme through State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) nominated by respective State Govt./ UT Administration and Canara Bank.

 3. Infrastructure Development Scheme

     i)    Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK)

4. Special Schemes

(i) Jiyo Parsi: A Scheme for reversing the population decline of Parsis in India.

(ii) Quami Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme (QWBTS) and Shahari Waqf Sampatti Vikas Yojana (SWSVY)

 

The details of these schemes are available on the website of the Ministry 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.

The Jiyo Parsi scheme was launched in 2013-14 with the objective to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilize their population and to increase the population of Parsis in India. The scheme has three components:

i) Medical Assistance - to provide financial assistance for medical treatment under standard medical protocol;

ii) Advocacy - provides for counselling of couples with fertility issues and publicity including workshops; and

iii) Health of Community to provide financial assistance to Parsi couples towards childcare and assistance to dependent elderly;

The assistance under the scheme is being released to the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode after biometric authentication and other verifications by the respective State Governments. Scheme guidelines is available on Ministry's website (www.minorityaffairs.gov.in).

The scheme has provision for regular monitoring by the Ministry and the State Governments and also concurrent evaluation to assess the benefits and the outcome of the scheme.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Ministry of Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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