Implementation of Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme by M/o Minorty Affairs

The Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities (PM’s New 15 PP) is an overarching programme covering various schemes/initiatives of the participating Ministries/Departments, and  is implemented throughout the country.  The said Programme also provides that, wherever possible, 15% of targets and outlays under various schemes should be earmarked for minorities. The performance of schemes/initiatives of Ministries / Departments included in the PM’s New 15 PP, is evaluated by the concerned Ministry/ Department and is a continuous process.  The schemes of Ministry of Minority Affairs meant exclusively for the centrally notified minority communities viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains are also evaluated from time to time. Details of outcome of evaluation studies conducted in respect of vairous Schemes/Programmes of this Ministry as well as the other Ministries/Departments covered under the PM’s New 15 PP  are available on the Ministry’s website www.minorityaffairs.gov.in

            The Ministry implements various welfare schemes for minority communities across the country including Jammu and Kashmir, as per the guidelines of the respective scheme.

            This was stated by the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES

To another question, the Minister stated that the Ministry of Minority Affairs has adopted a multi-pronged strategy by way of implementation of various schemes which aim at educational empowerment, employment-oriented skill development, infrastructure support, etc. for the upliftment of living standards of the six centrally notified minorities (Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains).  Details of these schemes are as under:

1. Educational Empowerment:

1. Scholarship Schemes - Pre-Matric Scholarship, Post-Matric Scholarship and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship. Since 2014-15,  3.74 crore scholarships have been provided.
2. 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 Undertakings, jobs in private sector and admission in reputed institutions in technical and professional courses at under-graduate and post-graduate levels.
3. Nai Udaan - a scheme for providing support to minority candidates clearing Prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission,  State Public Service Commissions etc.,  to adequately equip them to compete for appointment to Civil Services in the Union and the States.
4. Padho Pardes - A scheme for providing interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies to enable students from minority communities to pursue higher education.
5. 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.
6. In addition, the Maulana  Azad Education Foundation implements the following two schemes:

1. Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for meritorious girls belonging to minorities from class IX to XII.
2. Gharib Nawaz Employment Programme.

(B)      Economic Empowerment:

1. Employment-oriented Skill Development: programme

1. Seekho aur Kamao (Learn & Earn): It is a skill development initiative for minorities and aims to upgrade the skills of minority youth in various modern/traditional skills depending upon their qualification, present economic trends and market potential, which can earn them suitable employment or make them suitably skilled to go for self-employment.
2. Upgrading Skill and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD) - The scheme aims at capacity building and upgrading of the traditional skills of master craftsmen and artisans; documentation of identified traditional arts/crafts of minorities; set standards of traditional skills; training of minority youths in various identified traditional arts/crafts through master craftsmen; develop national and international market linkages; and preservation of languishing Arts/Crafts. Hunar Haats are organized in various parts of the country, which provides direct and indirect employment to skilled artisans and craft persons.
3. Nai Manzil - A scheme to provide education and skill training to the youth from minority communities.

(ii) National Minorities Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) Loan Schemes which provide concessional loans for self-employment and income generating activities for the socio- economic development of the backward sections amongst the notified minorities.

(iii) Priority Sector Lending by Banks.

(C)    Infrastructure Support:

Besides, there is another Scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), which aims at improving the socio-economic conditions of minorities and providing basic amenities so as to improve their quality of life and reduce imbalances in the identified Minority Concentration Areas.  The major projects approved under the Education Sector and for Skill Development, include Residential Schools, School buildings, Hostels, Degree Colleges, ITIs, Polytechnics, Sadbhav Mandaps, Health Centers, Working Women Hostels etc.  80% of the resources under the scheme are earmarked for projects related to Education, Health and Skill Development.  Further 33 to 40% of resources are allocated for women centric projects.

      The Minister also stated that Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) an autonomous body under the administrative control of this Ministry, in its 52nd Meeting held on 29.12.2016, had constituted a committee to go into the modalities for establishment of institutions in different parts of the country with a view to facilitate educational empowerment of minorities especially girls.

      The Committee has submitted its report and has recommended for three tier model of   educational institutions for minorities having:

(i)  211 Central Schools at the bottom.

(ii)  25 Community Colleges at the middle; and

(iii)  05 National Institutes at the top level.

      The said committee has submitted its report on 06.07.2017 to the General Body of MAEF, which has adopted the said report. Upon the recommendation of the said committee, on request of MAEF, the Government of Rajasthan,  has allotted 15 acre land at Village Kohrapipli, Tehsil - Kishangarhbas, District - Alwar for setting up a National Institute of eminence. 

         FREE COACHING AND ALLIED SCHEMES

     Under Free Coaching and Allied Scheme, the following Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) have been empanelled w.e.f  2017-18 to 2019-20 for the State of West Bengal. The funds released to these PIAs in the State of West Bengal during the last three years and the current financial year is given as under:-

     In the last three years and current year, 2,28,48,809 scholarships and 31,801 students were  provided free coaching. The State-wise and Year –wise details of students of minority community benefitted under Scholarship schemes and Free Coaching and Allied Scheme during the last three years and current year are at Annexure-I and Annexure-II respectively.

     The Ministry of Minority Affairs implements Naya Savera – Free Coaching and Allied Scheme under which free coaching is provided to students of six centrally notified minority communities namely Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Zoroastrians (Parsis). The scheme provides coaching to students so as to enable them to qualify in entrance examinations for admission in technical/ professional courses, and various Competitive examinations for recruitment to Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ services. The scheme is implemented through Project Implementing Agencies(PIA)/Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

    Coaching institutions/organizations are monitored by State Government as per provisions of the scheme including checking their infrastructure and mid-term inspection report. In addition, National Productivity Council (NPC) which is an independent agency under administrative control of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry had been engaged to conduct concurrent monitoring of the scheme w.e.f 2016-17 to 2018-19. 

Scholarship sCHEMES

A table, giving State/UT-wise, number of students who have availed
 scholarships under Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Schemes for minorities since their inception, is annexed.

The total budget of Rs.18065 crore was allocated and Rs.15858 crore
 (provisional figures) was spent with respect to these three Scholarship Schemes since their inception.

Ministry of Minority Affairs, under the Central Sector Scheme of “Research/ Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Schemes including Publicity”, carries out awareness and publicity campaigns for all the Schemes  implemented by this Ministry for the benefit of minority communities. The awareness and publicity of these schemes is taken up through multimedia campaigns i.e. through print and electronic media as well as radio Channels. In addition booklets and pamphlets, giving an overview of these schemes are distributed and advertisement published throughout the country in leading newspapers in Hindi, English, Urdu as well as regional languages.  

The funds spent on the advertisement of all the Schemes of this Ministry under Research/Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation of Development head including Publicity
of the Schemes/ Programme since 2014-15 is Rs.250.96 crore (provisional figures).

MONITORING OF WELFARE SCHEMES FOR MINORITIES

The monitoring of the implementation of various welfare schemes is being done through different mechanism and also by outside agencies from time to time to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency. Some of these measures are as under:-
 

•  UCs / Physical Report
•  Third Party Study/Monitoring 
•  District / State Level Committee
•  Empowered Committee
• Field Visit by Inspecting Officers of the Ministry and State Governments
• Regional Coordination Meetings

As and when such instances are reported or come to the notice of the Government, necessary action is taken as per extant guidelines and rules.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in written replies to the Lok Sabha today.