Six religious communities viz Muslims, Christians,
Buddhists, Sikhs, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains have been notified as
minority communities under Section 2(c) of the National Commission for
Minorities Act, 1992.
The National Commission
for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) constituted under the
Chairmanship of Justice Ranganath Misra to recommend measures for the welfare
of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic
minorities submitted its report in 2007 and the same was laid on the Table of
both the Houses of Parliament on 18.12.2009. The findings of the NCRLM on the
conditions of minorities are available in the report.
A
High Level Committee, constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retired)
Rajinder Sachar to gather data/information for preparation of a comprehensive
report on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community
of India, in its report in 2006 had indicated that the Muslim community lags
behind the mainstream in social, economic and educational sectors. The report
had been laid on the Table of both the Houses of Parliament on 30.11.2006.
To
improve the socio-economic and educational status of Minorities, following
schemes are being implemented by this Ministry:
(i)
Multi-sectoral Development Programme: The Multi-sectoral Development
Programme (MsDP) is an area development initiative to address the development
deficits by creating socio-economic infrastructure and providing basic
amenities. The Programme was implemented in 90 Minority Concentration Districts
(MCDs) of the country during the 11th Five Year Plan and 2012-13.
The Programme has been restructured in 2013-14 to make it more effective and
more focused on the targeted minorities for its implementation during the 12th
Five Year Plan period. In the restructured MsDP, the unit area of planning has
been changed to blocks/towns/clusters of villages instead of district for
sharper focus on the minority concentration areas.
(ii)
Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme: Under this Scheme, scholarships are
awarded to minority students up to class X, who have secured not less than 50%
marks in the previous final examination and the annual income of their parents
/ guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs. 1.00 Lakh. 30% of the
scholarships are earmarked for girl students. This is a Central Sector Scheme
with 100% central assistance.
(iii)
Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme:- Under this Scheme, scholarships are
awarded to minority students from class XI onwards who have secured not less
than 50% marks or equivalent grade in the previous final examination and the
annual income of whose parents/guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs.
2.00 lakh. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students. This is a
Central Sector Scheme with 100% central assistance.
(iv)
Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarship Scheme: The Merit-cum-Means Based
Scholarship Scheme provides financial assistance to the poor and meritorious
minority students pursuing professional studies at graduate and post-graduate
levels. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students. This is a
Central Sector Scheme with 100% central assistance.
(v)
Maulana Azad National Fellowship - The Fellowship is provided to
students from minority communities, as notified by the Central Government to
pursue higher studies such as M.Phil and Ph.D. The Fellowship covers all
Universities/Institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission
(UGC).The Fellowship is on the pattern of UGC Fellowships awarded to research
students pursuing regular and full time M.Phil and Ph.D. courses. 30% of the
scholarships are earmarked for eligible girl students.
(vi)
Free Coaching & Allied Scheme – This scheme is to assist students
belonging to the minority communities by way of special coaching for qualifying
examinations for admission in technical/ professional courses such as
engineering, medical and Competitive examinations for recruitment to Group ‘A’
, ‘B’ and ‘C’ services and other equivalent posts under the Central and State
governments including public sector undertakings.
(vii)
Padho Pardesh- Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans – This scheme is to
award interest subsidy to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker
sections of notified minority communities so as to provide them better
opportunities for higher education abroad at Masters and Ph.D levels and
enhance their employability.
(viii)
Support to minority candidates clearing Prelims conducted by UPSC/SSC,
State Public Service Commission (PSC) etc. – This Scheme is to provide
financial support to the minority candidates clearing prelims conducted by
Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and State Public
Service Commissions to adequately equip them to compete for appointment to
Civil Services in the Union and the State Governments and to increase the
representation of the minorities in the Civil Services.
(ix)
Seekho aur Kamao (Learn & Earn): It is a placement linked skill
development programme for minority youths, being implemented since the year
2013-14. This scheme aims at upgrading the skills of minority
youths in various modern as well as traditional skills which can earn them
suitable employment or make them suitably skilled to go for self-employment. The
scheme ensures placements of minimum 75% trained youths, out of which at least
50% placement is in organized sector.
(x)
Nai Roshni (Leadership Development of Minority Women): This is a
scheme for women empowerment through sensitization and leadership Development
of Minority Women being implemented all over the country by this Ministry since
2012-13. The objective of the scheme is to empower and instill confidence in
women, by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with
Government systems, banks, and intermediaries at all levels.
(xi)
“USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts
for Development)”: The scheme was launched on 14.5.2015 to preserve rich
heritage of traditional arts/crafts of minorities, set standards of crafts
practiced by minorities, build capacity of poor traditional artisans/craftsmen
and link them with market.
(xii)
National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC): NMDFC
is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under administrative control of
this Ministry, provides concessional loans for self-employment and income
generating activities to eligible minorities. The loans are extended to
individuals or Self-Help Groups through State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs)
nominated by the concerned State Governments/UT administrations.
(xiii)
Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS): MANAS
has been established on 11/11/2014, as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for
addressing all skill development needs of minority communities, to ensure
provision of sustainable livelihoods to them, with emphasis on self-employment.
Based on market demand, the Academy provides an All India level training
framework for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (E&SDP)
based on PPP model, for imparting training to minority population, with
concessional credit linkages.
(xiv)
Jiyo Parsi: “For containing the population decline of the Parsi
community, a Central Sector Scheme ‘Jiyo Parsi’ was launched during 2013-14.
The objective of this scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi
population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions to
stabilize their population and balance their population in India.
(xv)
Nai Manzil: An integrated education and livelihood initiative for the
minority communities scheme has been launched on 08.08.2015 on pilot basis for
formal education of school dropouts and Madarsa students to enhance their
education and skills in various trade to enable them for gainful employment.
This information was
given by Shri Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi, the Minister
of State for Minority Affairs in response to a written question in Rajya
Sabha today.
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AT