The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) has implemented various skilling and education schemes for socio-economic development of minorities and make them employment ready.

Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is a flagship Scheme of the 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. Skill training were provided 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. 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 trained, and as reported on the scheme portal about 2,98,909 beneficiaries have been placed under the scheme.

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, and as reported on the scheme portal about 58,879 beneficiaries have been placed under the scheme.

iii) USTTAD scheme 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 and about 4,946 have been placed/self-employed/organised into Self Help Groups under the scheme.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Minority & Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today

***

SS/ISA

(Release ID: 2101518) Visitor Counter : 798