IMPLEMENTATION OF PM’S 15 POINT PROGRAMME BY MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

Why in news?

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.

Details

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

Schemes Implemented by MoMA

Educational Empowerment Schemes

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. In addition, the Maulana  Azad Education Foundation implements the following two schemes:
6. Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship for meritorious girls belonging to minorities from class IX to XII.
7. Gharib Nawaz Employment Programme.

Economic Empowerment Schemes

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.
4. 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.
5. Priority Sector Lending by Banks.

Infrastructure Support Schemes

Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK)– 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.