(a) whether the Government proposes to launch new programme after review of 15-point programme launched in 2006 for the welfare of minorities and if so, the details thereof; and
(b) if not, the steps being taken by the Government to cover all minority community under the new 15-point programme?
MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)
(a) & (b): The Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities was launched in 2006 with the following broad objectives:
(i) Enhancing opportunities for education;
(ii) Ensuring an equitable share for minorities in economic activities and employment, through existing and new schemes, enhanced credit support for self-employment, and recruitment to State and Central Government jobs;
(iii) Improving the conditions of living of minorities by ensuring an appropriate share for them in infrastructure development schemes; and
(iv) Prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence.
Under the said Programme, various schemes/initiatives are implemented by various Ministries/Departments of the Central Government throughout the country, including Ministry of Minority Affairs, either exclusively or by earmarking of 15% of overall physical/financial target, wherever feasible, for the welfare of Six(6) centrally notified minorities viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis, as per details given below:
(A)Educational Empowerment
(i) Scholarship Schemes- Pre-Matric Scholarship, Post-Matric Scholarship and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship.
(ii) Naya Savera – Free Coaching and Allied Scheme with the aim to enhance skills and knowledge of students and candidates from minority communities to get employment in Government Sector/ Public Sector Undertaking, jobs in private sector, and admission in reputed institutions in technical and professional courses at under-graduate and post-graduate levels.
(iii) Maulana Azad National Fellowship Scheme, provides financial assistance to students from notified minority communities, to pursue higher education such as M.Phil and Ph.D.
(iv) In addition, the Maulana Azad Education Foundation implements the following two schemes:
(a) Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for meritorious girls belonging to minorities studying in Classes IX to XII.
(b) Gharib Nawaz Employment Programme.
(B)Economic Empowerment
(i) National Minorities Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) Loan Schemes provideconcessional loans for self-employment and income generating activities for the socio-economic development of the ‘backward sections’ amongst the notified minorities.
(ii) Priority Sector Lending by Banks.(Department of Financial Services)
(iii) National Urban Livelihoods Mission (M/o Housing & Urban Affairs)
(iv) National Rural Livelihoods Mission (M/o Rural Development)
(v) Deen Dayal Upadhyay – Gramin Kaushal Yojana (M/o Rural Development)
(vi) Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin)- (M/o Rural Development)
In addition, another scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) is implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, which aims to improve the socio-economic conditions and basic amenities of minorities so as to improve their quality of life and reduce imbalances in the identified Minority Concentration Areas. The major projects approved under PMJVK in the education, health and skill sectors, include Residential Schools, School buildings, Hostels, Degree Colleges, ITIs, Polytechnics, Multipurpose Sadbhav Mandaps, Health Centres, Market Sheds, Hunar Hubs, Skill Centres etc.
The details of various schemes, being implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, as well as other Ministries/Departments for the welfare of minorities are available on the website of the Ministry of Minority Affairs at – www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.