The Central Government notifies minority communities in consultation with various stakeholders under Section 2 (c) of National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992. The Central Government has notified six communities as minority communities namely Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs under Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. The details of the schemes/programmes implemented by the Ministry in brief are as under: –
(A): Educational Empowerment Schemes:
(1) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme (w.e.f.2008-09) – Scholarship is provided to minority students from Class I to X, whose family income is not more than Rs.1 Lakh per annum. 30% scholarships are earmarked for girl students.
(2) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme (2007-08) – Scholarship is provided to minority students from Class XI to Phd., whose family income is not more than Rs. 2 Lakh per annum. 30% scholarships are earmarked for girls students.
(3) Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme (2007-08) – Scholarship is provided to minority students for Professional and Technical courses, at Under Graduate and Post Graduate level whose family income is not more than Rs. 2.5 Lakh per annum. 30% scholarships are earmarked for girl students.
All the three Scholarship schemes are on boarded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and the scholarship amount is disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
(4) Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme (w.e.f. 2009-10) – 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 and whose family income is not more than Rs. 6 lakh per annum. 30% seats are earmarked for girl students.
(5) Padho Pardesh (w.e.f. 2013-14)– Under the scheme interest subsidy is provided to students of minority communities on educational loans, for overseas higher studies and whose annual family income is not more than Rs. 6 lakh per annum. 35% seats are earmarked for girl students
(6) Naya Savera – Free Coaching and Allied Scheme (w.e.f. 2006-07) – The Scheme aims to provide free coaching to students/candidates belonging to minority communities whose family income is not more than Rs. 6 lakh per annum, for qualifying in entrance examinations of technical/ medical professional courses and various Competitive examinations. 30% seats are earmarked for girl students.
(7) Nai Udaan (w.e.f. 2013-14) – Support is provided to minority candidates clearing Preliminary examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Public Service Commission (PSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) etc. whose family income is less than Rs. 8 lakh per annum.
(8) 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. 1st April, 2021. The SPEMM comprises of two schemes namely (i) Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM) and (ii) Infrastructure Development in Minority Institutions (IDMI).
The funds used for aforesaid Educational Empowerment Schemes is Rs.11094.79 crores during the last five years (2017-18 to 2021-22).
(B): Employment Oriented Schemes:
(9) 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.
(10) USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development). An effective platform to provide self-employment, market and opportunity to traditional artisans and craft persons from the minority communities. Hunar Haats are being organised across the Country to provide employment opportunities and markets to artisans/craftsmen.
(11) Nai Manzil – A scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts or educated in community educational institutions like Madrasas.
(12) Nai Roshni – Leadership development of women belonging to minority communities and non-minority communities (not exceeding 25% of each batch).
The funds used for aforesaid Employment Oriented Schemes are Rs.1623.23 crores during the last five years (2017-18 to 2021-22).
(C): Infrastructure Development Scheme:
(13) Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) – A Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), is being implemented with the objective to develop infrastructure projects in identified area. The priority sectors under PMJVK are Education, Health, Skill Development, Sports, Sanitation, Solar Energy, Women Centric projects etc.
The funds used for PMJVK are Rs.6410.82 crores during the last five years (2017-18 to 2021-22).
(D): Special Schemes:
(14) Jiyo Parsi – Scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India.
(15) Hamari Dharohar- A scheme to preserve rich heritage of minority communities of India under the overall concept of Indian culture.
(16) (i) Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati Scheme (QWBTS) -The scheme is intended to help streamlining record keeping, introduce transparency, and to computerize the various functions/processes of the Waqf Boards.
(ii) 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.
(17) 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.
(18) 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.
The funds used for Special Schemes (Jiyo Parsi, Hamari Dharohar, QWBTS & SWSVY) is Rs.83.65 crores during the last five years (2017-18 to 2021-22)
The details of the schemes mentioned at S. No.(1) to (16) are available on the website of this Ministry (www.minorityaffairs.gov.in) and those at serial No.(17) and (18) are available on the website of MAEF (www.maef.nic.in) and NMDFC (www.nmdfc.org) respectively.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.