Nearly Rs.22,000 crore allocated over 2017-21 for minority welfare

The Ministry of Minority Affairs said it has allocated Rs.21,946.45 crore (revised Estimate) over the last five financial years for the various welfare schemes for the minorities.

The aim was for the socio-economic and educational empowerment of the centrally notified minority communities.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Smriti Zubin Irani, informed the parliament about the various schemes.

Among the educational empowerment schemes are:

(1) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, where a scholarship is provided to minority students from Class I to X, of which 30% scholarships are for girls.

(2) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, where a scholarship is provided to minority students from Class XI to PhD, of which 30% scholarships are for girls.

(3) Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme, where a scholarship is provided to minority students for professional and technical courses, at Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate level, of which 30% scholarships are for girls.

The scholarship amount for all these three schemes is disbursed through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

(4) Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme – Under the scheme, fellowship in the form of financial assistance is provided to minority candidates who clear the UGC-NET or Joint CSIRUGC-NET examination.

(5) 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.

(6) Padho Pardesh – Under the scheme, interest subsidy is provided to students of minority communities on educational loans for overseas higher studies.

(7) Nai Udaan – Support is provided to minority candidates clearing the preliminary examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Public Service Commission (PSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), etc.

Among employment-oriented schemes:

(1) Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) (w.e.f. 2022-23) – The five existing schemes of the Ministry namely Seekho aur Kamao (w.e.f. 2013-14), USTTAD (w.e.f. 2014-15), Hamari Dharohar (w.e.f. 2014-15), Nai Roshni (w.e.f. 2012-13) and Nai Manzil (w.e.f. 2016-17) have now been converged into a single scheme known as PM VIKAS. The scheme aims to improve livelihoods of minorities, particularly artisan communities, through skill development, education, leadership, training support, entrepreneurship interventions, supporting their business by facilitating credit and market linkages and providing new opportunities to brand and sell produce in a widened market base, created by leveraging tourism and trade circuits in the country.

In infrastructure development scheme:

(1) Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) – A Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), is being implemented with the objective to develop infrastructure projects in identified area.

Special schemes:         

(1) Jiyo Parsi – Scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India.

(2) Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme (QWBTS) – The scheme is intended to help streamline record-keeping, introduce transparency, and to computerize the various functions/processes of the Waqf Boards.

(3) Shahari Waqf Sampatti Vikas Yojana (SWSVY) – Under this scheme, interest-free loan to Waqf Boards (WBs)/Waqf Institutions is granted for construction of economically viable buildings on the Waqf land.

(4) Scheme for Providing Education to Madrasas/Minorities (SPEMM) is a Centrally sponsored scheme, which has been transferred from the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), M/o Education to Ministry of Minority Affairs w.e.f. 1 April 2021. The SPEMM comprises two schemes, namely (i) Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM), and (ii) Infrastructure Development in Minority Institutions (IDMI).

The objective of the SPQEM scheme is inter alia, to encourage traditional institutions like Madrasas and Maktabs by giving financial assistance to introduce science, mathematics, social studies, Hindi and English in their curriculum so that academic proficiency for classes I-XII is attainable for children studying in these institutions.

The process of modernization of traditional Madrasas and Maktabs is voluntary. Under IDMI, financial assistance is provided to Minority educational institutions (elementary/ secondary/senior secondary schools) as per Samagra Siksha norms to facilitate education of minorities by augmenting and strengthening school infrastructure in Minority Institutions.

(5) Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) implements education and skill related schemes as follows: (a) Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for Meritorious Girls belonging to the economically weaker sections of Minorities, (b) Grant-in-aid to NGOs for infrastructure development of educational institutions.

(6) Equity to National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) for providing concessional loans to minorities for education, self-employment, income generating ventures and micro financing.

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