There is no such separate poverty assessment carried out for Minorities by the NITI Aayog or the erstwhile Planning Commission.  The Government has implemented various schemes for the welfare and upliftment of every section of the society including minorities especially economically weaker & underprivileged sections all over the country like Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana, etc.

Ministry of Minority Affairs also implements programmes / schemes for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities namely Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains. Due to successful implementation of the schemes, there has been an increase in enrolment of minority students in school education and higher education, reduction in school dropout rate among the minority students, and also helped in securing gainful employment to the minorities thereby leading to larger participation of minorities in the nation building. The schemes / programmes implemented by the Ministry in brief are as under:-

A. Educational Empowerment Schemes:-

1. Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme - For educational empowerment of students through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
2. Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme - Provide fellowships in the form of financial assistance.
3. Naya Savera - Free Coaching and Allied Scheme - The Scheme aims to provide free coaching to students / candidates belonging to minority communities for qualifying in entrance examinations of technical / medical professional courses and various Competitive examinations.
4. Padho Pardesh - Scheme of interest subsidy to students of minority communities on educational loans for overseas higher studies.
5. Nai Udaan - Support for students clearing Prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Public Service Commission (PSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) etc.

B. Employment oriented schemes:-

6. Seekho Aur Kamao - Skill development scheme for youth of 14 - 35 years age group and aiming at providing employment and employment opportunities, improving the employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc.
7. USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts / Crafts for Development). Hunar Haat are being organised across the country to provide employment opportunities and markets to artisans / craftsmen.
8. Nai Manzil - A scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts.
9. Nai Roshni - Leadership development of women belonging to minority communities.

C. Infrastructure Development Programme:-

10. Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) – Being  implemented to provide basic infrastructure such as Schools, Colleges, ITIs, Polytechnics, Hostels, Sadbhav Mandap, Skill Development Centres, Drinking water and Sanitation facilities, Primary Health Centres, Anganwadi Centres, Sadbhav Kendra, Common Service Centres, Sports Facilities, Hunar Hubs etc. in deprived areas of the Country.

Further, under Prime Minister's New 15 Point Programme for welfare of minorities, the Government ensures that the benefits of various government schemes for the underprivileged reach the disadvantaged sections of the minority communities. Under the programme, it is provisioned that, wherever possible, 15% of targets and outlays under various schemes should be earmarked for minorities. Details of the schemes being implemented by Ministry of Minority Affairs is available at https://www.minorityaffairs.gov.in /en/schemes performance.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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N Ao//(MoMA_RSQ-2033)