the special steps taken under the mandate of Art. 46 of the Constitutions to promote the economic interests of the SCs and STs by way of establishment and maintenance of small scale industrial units through State sponsored/aided schemes and programmes so as to enhance employment opportunities to educated unemployed youth from SC/ST communities and to economically empower them?
THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING, DEPARTMENT OF PENSIONS AND PENSIONERS WELFARE OF THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF ATOMIC ENERGY AND SPACE (SHRIMATI VASUNDHARA RAJE)
In pursuance of Article 46 of the Constitution, the Government has been consciously promoting the cause of weaker sections, particularly SCs & STs through its various schemes and programmes for promotion of small scale industries in the country. As part of this effort, the following schemes/programmes of the Ministry of Small Scale Industries have specific reservations/ concessions/preference for SCs/STs :-
i) Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) - To cultivate the latent qualities of youth by enlightening them on various aspects to be considered for starting new industry.
ii) Management Development Programme (MDP) - To impart state of art learning in emerging management techniques/practices to help small entrepreneurs harvest greater profits and substantial share in the domestic/overseas markets.
iii) Hire Purchase Scheme - To provide machines on Hire Purchase basis.
iv) Training - To impart training in conventional technology trades.
In addition, Government also implements the Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) to assist educated unemployed youth in setting up self-employment ventures in industry, service & business sectors. The scheme envisages 22.5% reservation for SCs/STs and 27.5% for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). A ten year relaxation in upper age limit is also admissible to SCs & STs.