The details of the welfare schemes for minorities being implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs are -
- Multi sectoral Development Programme (MsDP): Multi sectoral Development Programme aims at improving the socio-economic condition of minorities and providing basic amenities to them for improving the quality of life of the people and reducing imbalance in the identified minority concentration areas. Construction of project related to education is one of the main activities which has been given priority under the programme.
As such projects for construction of Additional Class Rooms (5687), School buildings(333), Hostels(269), college, ITIs(44) and Polytechnics(13) have been approved under MsDP. Besides, to facilitate and motivate education amongst girls of minority communities, provisions of distribution of free bicycles to the minority girl students have been made.
The girl students studying in class 9th, who have passed prescribed examination of class 8thand belong to the family below poverty line, can be covered.
- Pre-matric Scholarship Scheme:-Under this Scheme, scholarships are awarded to minority students up to class X, who have secured not less than 50% marks in the previous final examination and the annual income of their parents/ guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs. 1.00 lakh. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students.
- Post-matric Scholarship Scheme:- Under this Scheme, scholarships are awarded to minority students from class XI onwards who have secured not less than 50% marks or equivalent grade in the previous final examination and the annual income of whose parents/ guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs.2.00 lakh. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students.
- Maulana Azad National Fellowship For Minority Students:-The objective of the Fellowship is to provide integrated five year fellowships in the form of financial assistance to minority students to pursue higher studies such as M.Phil and Ph.D. The Fellowship covers all Universities/Institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC). 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students.
- Merit-cum Means based Scholarship: The Merit-cum Means based Scholarship Scheme provides financial assistance to the poor and meritorious minority students pursuing professional studies at graduate and post-graduate levels. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students.
- Free Coaching and Allied Scheme: Under this scheme candidates belonging to the minority community are provided financial assistance for coaching in Government and the private sector institutes for imparting coaching/training for Competitive Exams, Information Technology and other employment oriented courses. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students.
- Equity contribution to National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC): Under this scheme, Government contributes equity capital to NMDFC for implementation of its schemes at concessional rates of interest which are viz. micro financing scheme, term loan, educational loans, skill development and Mahila Samridhi Yojana etc.
- Grant-in-aid to Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF): Under this scheme, Grant-in-aid released to MAEF towards its Corpus Fund. MAEF provides Grant-in-aid to the minority institutions for infrastructure development and distribution of scholarship to the minority girl students studying in classes XI and XII. The expenditure on these schemes is met out of the interest earned on the Corpus Fund.
- Computerization of records of State Wakf Boards: In order to streamline record keeping of the waqf lands, introduce transparency & social audit, to computerize the various functions/processes of the Waqf Boards and to develop a single web based centralized application, computerization of the records of the State Waqf Boards is carried out with the help of Central financial assistance.
- Nai Roshni:- A scheme for Leadership Development of Minority Women has been launched with the objective to empower and instill confidence in women, by providing knowledge, tools and techniques to interact with Government systems, banks, and intermediaries at all levels so that they are emboldened to move out of the confines of home and assume leadership roles.
- Skill Development Initiative- The Ministry has formulated a new scheme in 2013-14 for skill development of minorities under the brand name “Seekho Aur Kamao (Learn and Earn)”. The scheme aims at upgrading the skills of minority youths in various Modular Employable Skills (MES) including Traditional trades depending upon their educational qualification, aptitude and capability, present economic trends and industry readiness. The scheme aims at 75% employment including 50% in organized sector to the youths trained in MES.
- Jiyo Parsi- Jiyo Parsi is a new scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India, that has been launched during the current year 2013-14 with the objective to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions to stabilize their population and increase the population of Parsis in India. Ministry extends financial assistance for outreach programme/ advocacy and fertility treatment as per scheme guidelines. The scheme is implemented with assistance from Parzor Foundation with the help of Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP).
- Support for Minority students clearing Prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commissions, Staff Selection Commission, State Public Service Commissions. The objective of the scheme is to provide financial support to the minority candidates clearing prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commissions, Staff Selection Commission, State Public Service Commissions to adequately equip them to compete for appointment to Civil Services in the Union and the State Governments and to increase the representation of the minority in the Civil Services by giving direct financial support to candidates clearing Preliminary Examination.
- Padho Pardesh-scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies for the students belonging to the Minority communities. This is a Central Sector Scheme to provide Interest Subsidy to Meritorious Students belonging to economically weaker sections of notified Minority Communities so as to provide them better opportunities for higher education abroad and enhance their employability to pursue study in courses approved in the Scheme.
Further Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for Welfare of Minorities is an overarching programme which covers various schemes of concerned Ministries/Departments either by earmarking15% of physical targets/financial outlays for the minorities or by specific monitoring of flow of benefits/funds to areas with substantial minority population.
As per the National Sample Survey Report No. 521 & 552 on “Employment and Un-employment situation among major religious groups in India” showing educational institution attendance rate is increased. The National Sample Survey Report is available on the official website of M/o Statistics and Programme Implementation.
This was stated by Shri Ninong Ering, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs in response to a written question in Rajya Sabha today.
