(a) the steps taken by the Government to spread awareness of welfare schemes meant for minorities;
(b) the level of implementation of each scheme/programme launched by the Government for educational empowerment of minorities, including number of scholarships issued, amount disbursed etc.; and
(c) the schemes related to Economic Empowerment for Minorities, the details of each scheme and its implementation in various States, including the number of beneficiaries?
MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)
(a) The Government has undertaken multi-media campaign to spread awareness of welfare schemes meant for minorities through print and electronic media, namely, Doordarshan Network, All India Radio Network including FM Channels, private FM channels, private TV channels and websites all over the country, including rural and far flung areas. Pocket booklets and pamphlets on various schemes / programmes of the Ministry are published in Hindi, English, Urdu and other regional languages. In order to directly reach to the public and spread awareness, ‘Progress Panchayats’ are organized in various places. Regional Coordination & Review Conferences are also held with State Governments from time to time where, inter-alia, information about the Ministry’s schemes is provided. In addition, outdoor publicity is also being done by organizing ‘Hunar Haat’ at (i) India International Trade Fair 2016 and 2017, (ii) Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi in February 2017 & 2018, (iii) Puducherry in September, 2017 (iv) Mumbai in January, 2018, to promote traditional crafts/arts and strengthen their market linkages.
(b) & (c) This Ministry is implementing the following schemes/programmes for the educational and economic empowerment of six Centrally notified minorities in the country, namely, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains:-
(i) Schemes/programmes for the educational empowerment:
(1) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme - For Class I to X.
(2) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme – For Class XI to Ph.D.
(3) Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme – For Professional and Technical Courses.
(4) Maulana Azad National Fellowship – For M.Phil. and Ph.D
(5) Free Coaching and Allied Scheme (Naya Savera) – For competitive examination for jobs and entrance examination for admission to professional and technical courses.
(6) Padho Pardesh – Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for Overseas Studies.
(7) Nai Udaan - Support for students clearing Prelims conducted by UPSC, SSC, State Public Service Commission (PSC), etc.
(8) Grants-in-Aid to Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) for implementation of education and skill related schemes:-
(a) Grants-in-Aid to NGOs/Trust/Society
(b) Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for Meritorious Girls belonging to the Minorities for classes IX – XII.
The details of the ongoing schemes/programmes for the educational empowerment at serial No.(1) to (7) are available on the website of this Ministry (www.minorityaffairs.gov.in) and at serial No.(8) are available on the website of MAEF (www.maef.nic.in).
(ii) Schemes/programmes for the economic empowerment:
(1) Skill Development Initiatives - Seekho Aur Kamao (Learn & Earn).
(2) USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) (2015).
(3) Nai Manzil – A World Bank assisted scheme for formal school education & skilling of school dropouts (2015).
(4) Grants-in-Aid to Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) for implementation of education and skill related schemes, namely, Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Training for providing short-term job oriented skill development courses to youths belonging to minority communities (2017).
(5) Equity to National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) for providing concessional loans to minorities for self-employment and income generating activities.
The details of the ongoing schemes/programmes for the economic empowerment at serial No.(1) to (3) are available on the website of this Ministry (www.minorityaffairs.gov.in), at serial No.(4) are available on the website of MAEF (www.maef.nic.in) and at serial No.(5) are available on the website of NMDFC (www.nmdfc.org).
The State-wise details of implementation of the ongoing schemes/programmes of the Ministry for the educational and economic empowerment of six Centrally notified minorities, including number of scholarships issued / number of beneficiaries, amount disbursed, etc., are available on the website of the Ministry at www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.
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