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

The Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is a flagship scheme of the Ministry, which converges five erstwhile schemes viz. ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’, ‘Nai Manzil’, ‘Nai Roshni’, ‘USTTAD’ and ‘Hamari Dharohar’ schemes and focuses on upliftment of six notified minority communities through the following:

1. Skilling and Training (Non-traditional and traditional)
2. Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship
3. Education (through National Institute of Open Schooling)
4. Infrastructure Development (through Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram)

The scheme also provisions to facilitate credit linkages by connecting beneficiaries with loan programs offered by the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC). Under the scheme; the Ministry has received some proposals and is in the process of short-listing and finalising the projects. 

Under the scheme, the implementing partners are to ensure placement of candidates trained through their linkages with the industries.

The Ministry is collaborating with the Central Government Ministries/Departments and State/UT governments to seek proposals from willing agencies under the Scheme. Further, Ministry also spread awareness about its schemes through initiatives like Hunar Haat and Lok Samvardhan Parv, print and social media platforms, etc. This is a central sector scheme, which would be implemented at pan India basis.

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

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SS/ISA