Ministry of Minority Affairs

About Ministry

• The Ministry of Minority Affairs was carved out of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and created on 29th January, 2006 to ensure a more focused approach towards issues relating to the notified minority communities namely Muslim, Christian, Budhist, Sikhs, Parsis and Jain. The mandate of the Ministry includes formulation of overall policy and planning, coordination, evaluation and review of the regulatory framework and development programmes for the benefit of the minority communities.
• The Mission of the Ministry is to improve the socio-economic conditions of the minority communities through affirmative action and inclusive development so that every citizen has equal opportunity to participate actively in building a vibrant nation. To facilitate an equitable share for minority communities in education, employment, economic activities and to ensure their upliftment.
• The ministry is also involved with the linguistic minorities and of the office of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, representation of the Anglo-Indian community, protection and preservation of non-Muslim shrines in Pakistan and Muslim shrines in India in terms of the Pant-Mirza Agreement of 1955, in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs.

 

USTTAD – UPGRADING THE SKILL AND TRAINING IN TRADITIONAL ART CRAFT FOR DEVELOPMENT

• Started in 2015 and fully funded by Centre.

Objectives

• • To build capacity of master craftsmen/artisan and training of young generation through them
  • To preserve rich heritage of traditional arts/crafts of minorities and build capacity of traditional artisans/craftsmen.
  • To establish linkage of traditional skills with International Market
  • To improve employability of existing workers
  • To ensure dignity of labour
  • To enable minorities to avail the benefits of growing market

Intended Beneficiary

• • Minority community
  • Non-Minority community (25% BPL)
  • Minority belonging to PH category (3% reservation)
  • Minority women (33% seats)
  • 14-45 year’s age and minimum qualification should be Class 5 for non-PH beneficiaries.

Salient Features

• • It is a Central Sector Scheme
  • Upgradation of skills and Training through Certificate and Diploma Courses in traditional Arts/Crafts through training institutions.
  • Training on soft skills, spoken English and IT will also be provided.
  • More than one member of the family is eligible to gain benefits.
  • USTTAD apprenticeship stipend for R&D will be provided
  • Exhibition/Marketing of their products will be done through Hunar Haat and Shilp Utsav.
  • Talented master craftsmen/artisan will be recognized and awarded.

Hunar Haat

• • • Hunar Haats are organised by Ministry of Minority Affairs under USTTAD scheme.
    • These Haats provide platforms for marketing the products of master artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts belonging to the minority communities.
    • It increases the employment and income generation opportunities of the minority communities.
    • Ministry is willing to establish a “Hunar Hub” in all states of the country where artisans will be provided training, as per present requirement.
    • It has proved to be an effective mission to provide market (domestic & international), employment, and opportunities to talent of master artisans and craftsmen from across the nation.

 

NAI MANZIL

Objectives

• • Mobilise youth from minority communities who are school dropouts and provide them with formal education and certification up to level 8th or 10th through National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) or other State open schooling systems.
  • to provide integrated Skill Training to the youth in market driven skills
  • Provide placements to at least 70% of the trained youth
  • Raise awareness and sensitization in health and life skills.

Intended Beneficiary

• • Minority BPL youths in the age group of 17 to 35 years who are school-dropouts or educated in the community education institutions like Madarsas.
  • Minority girls

Salient Features

• • It is an integrated scheme of education and skill.
  • A Non-residential programme of 9-12 months duration involving a Basic Bridge Programme (For Class VIII or Class X) is provided.
  • Minimum 30% seats are earmarked for minority girls.
  • The scheme covers the entire country.
  • Skill training along with certification which help them seek better employment in organized sector
  • Post-placement support to assist in getting sustainable employment Minimum 30% seats are earmarked for minority girls.
  • World Bank supports the scheme.
  • The women trained under “Nai Roshni”, scheme for leadership development of Minority women, will also be used as mobilizers for this scheme.

 

NAI ROSHNI

• The Leadership Development of Minority Women

Objectives

• • To empower and instil confidence among minority women, including their neighbours from other communities living in the same village/locality
  • Economic empowerment of the trainee women.

Intended Beneficiary

• • Women belonging to all minority community
  • Non-minority women of the locality (not exceeding 25% of the project)
  • Further, Efforts should be made for having a representative mix
    • Women SC/ST/OBC/PH women (25% of the group)
    • Elected women representatives

Salient Features

• • Leadership development trainings in the village /urban locality at local body level.
  • Training will be Non-residential and Residential
  • It is implemented through selected Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) all over the
  • The training is provided on various training modules covering issues relating to women viz. Leadership of women through participation in decision making, Educational Programme for women, Health and Hygiene, Legal rights of women, Financial Literacy, Digital Literacy, Swachh Bharat, Life Skills and Advocacy for Social and Behavioural Change.

 

CYBER GRAM

Objectives

• • To provide hands-on training in computers for the students of Minority Community and to enable them to acquire basic ICT skills that would empower them to –
    1. Become digitally literate
    2. Actively participate in knowledge based activities
    3. Access financial, social and government services
    4. Use Internet for communications
    5. Reinforcing the learning of trained beneficiaries by providing free Internet access for 30 hours.

Intended Beneficiary

• • Students studying in Recognised Madarsas/ Schools having no facility of computer education.
  • Students of Classes 6th to 10th from such institutions
  • Any other students belonging to Minority Community residing in minority concentration areas.

Salient Features

• • The Cyber gram Initiative is a component under Multi-Sector Development Program (MsDP) of the ministry of minority affairs.
  • The Union Government and State Government contribution will be 75:25 (90:10 for NE states including Sikkim)
  • Common Service Centres e-Governance services India Ltd (CSC SPV) will prescribe thirty-nine (39) hours Basic Computer Concepts (BCC) syllabus for the
  • The Village Level Entrepreneur VLEs (having computers and internet availability) near Madrasas/Schools would be the lowest level in the implementation structure of the Initiative and would be the Training Centre under the Initiative.
  • The Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) aims at improving the socio-economic conditions of minorities and providing basic amenities to them for improving the quality of life of the people and reducing imbalances in the identified minority concentration areas.

 

JIYO PARSI

• Scheme for Containing Population Decline of Parsis in India

Objectives

• • To reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions (infertility treatment), stabilize their population and increase the population of Parsis in

Salient Features

• • It is a Central sector scheme
  • Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-2 was launched in 2017 (phase-1 in 2013)
  • The component of the scheme includes
    1. Advocacy – counselling, workshops, etc.
    2. Health of the community – crèche/ childcare support, senior citizen honorarium for childcare, assistance to elderly.
    3. Medical assistance – financial assistance for Assisted Reproductive technology including IVF and surrogacy
    4. Confidentiality
    5. Out-reach program/Information, education and communication.

 

NAI UDAAN

Objectives

• • To provide financial support to the minority candidates clearing prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and State Public Service Commissions
  • To increase the representation of the minority in the Civil Services and Group A and B services.

Intended Beneficiary

• • Only candidates belonging to notified Minority Communities who clear the Prelim examinations conducted by UPSC; SPSC or SSC etc.
  • Income based eligibility criteria (Rs 6 lakh/annum).

Salient Features

• • This is a Central Sector Scheme.
  • Every year up to 2000 candidates will be given financial support under the scheme throughout the country on fulfilling the eligibility criteria till the budgetary allocation is exhausted.
  • Financial support will be availed by candidate for one time only.
  • Selection of the candidates will be based on first-come-first- serve basis.
  • The distribution of slots for different minorities is based on the data of Census, 2011.

 

PADHO PARDESH

Objectives

• • To award 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.

Intended Beneficiary

• • Students who belong to minority communities viz. Muslims Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis and want to pursue higher studies i.e. Masters, M.Phil & Ph. D level abroad.

Salient Features

• • This is a Central Sector Scheme
  • This is an interest subsidy scheme and the Candidate will have to bear the Principal instalments and interest beyond moratorium period (Course period).
  • The interest Subsidy shall be linked with the existing Educational Loan Scheme of Indian Banks’ Association (IBA)
  • 35% seats will be earmarked for girl students.
  • The scheme shall be available to the eligible students only once, either for Masters, M.Phil. Or Ph.D. levels.

 

MANAS – MAULANA AZAD NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR SKILLS

• MANAS is an ambitious and over-arching skill development architecture

Objectives

• • To fulfil the vision of SKILL INDIA and achieve the overriding goal of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas.
  • To provide gainful employment/self-employment to minorities

Salient Features

• • It is a special purpose vehicle and is an innovative scheme (kind of Give back to community) under which the leading celebrities in various skill sets are used as the driving force behind the skill development projects, in their respective fields
  • It has identified and launched Skill Development Programme in various Madarsas and other traditional Educational Institutions (TEIs)
  • The trained candidate will be provided financial assistance from NMDFC (National Minorities development and Finance Commission), if they are willing to establish their own business.
  • It includes a special vertical for identifying, supporting, and promoting those arts and crafts of minority community which are getting phased out due to globalization.
  • MANAS will establish ‘Research Chairs’ to support the arts and crafts of minority community which are going to phase out due to globalisation & in the process, help in preserving ‘Hamari Dharohar’.

 

HAMARI DHAROHAR

Objectives

• • To curate rich heritage of minorities under overall concept of Indian Culture.

Intended Beneficiary

• • For fellowship – A minority having Post graduate with 50% marks and Girl/women candidates belonging to minority community

Salient Features

• • It is a central sector scheme
  • Ministry of Minority Affairs will implement this scheme with the help of Ministry of Culture.
  • Documentation of oral traditions and art forms, support to ethnic museums, workshops/ seminars/exhibitions, fellowship for R&D, etc. will be provided under the scheme.
  • Funding is project based and not the State/District-wise.
  • Digitisation of Medieval documents regarding Mathematics and Medicine is also being done.

 

LEARN AND EARN (SEEKHO AUR KAMAO)

Objectives

• • To encourage the youth from the minority communities to take up employment based skills training
  • To bring down the unemployment rate of minority communities.
  • To conserve and update traditional skills of minorities and establish their linkages with market
  • To improve employability of existing workers, school dropouts and to ensure their placements.

Intended Beneficiary

• • Minority candidate between 14-35 years of age with minimum class 5 qualification.
  • Minority Women candidates (33%).
  • Disabled candidates and non-minority BPL can also be considered under the scheme.

Salient Features

• • This a Central Sector scheme
  • Ministry will take up skill development programme for Modular Employable Skills (MES) approved by National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT).
  • It has two components –
    • 1. Placement Linked skill training program for modern trades
      2. Skills training program for traditional art forms/crafts/trades
  • The skill training for modern skills must result in 75% placement, out of which 50% should be in organised sector
  • It is a PPP based scheme, and priority will be given to institutions which guarantee 75% placements.
  • SHGs will be created.

 

MAHILA SAMRIDDHI YOJANA

Objectives

• • Economic empowerment of the trainee women so that they ultimately become independent.

Salient Features

• • It is being implemented by National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC)
  • Training is given to a group of around 20 women in any suitable women friendly craft activity such as tailoring, cutting and embroidery, etc.
  • This group has to form a SHG.
  • After the training, micro-credit (max. 1 Lakh at 7% interest) is provided to the members of the SHG so formed.

 

PRADHAN MANTRI JAN VIKAS KARYAKRAM (PMJVK)

• Restructured Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP)

Objectives

• • To support the projects sanctioned under erstwhile Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) for completion of the sanctioned and ongoing projects.

Salient Features

• • The Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) under Ministry of Minority Affairs has been restructured and renamed as Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK).
  • The criteria for identification of Minority Concentration Towns (MCTs) and Cluster of Villages has been rationalised and is based on 2011 census:
    1. 1. Earlier only those Towns which were found backward in terms of both in Basic Amenities and Socio-economic parameters were taken up as MCTs. Now, the Towns which were found backward in either or both of the criteria have been taken up as MCT.
       2. Now the population criteria for selection of cluster of villages has been lowered to 25% population of minority community (which was earlier at least 50%).
  • Funding of the scheme would be from budgetary provision of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The recurring/maintenance expenses will be borne by the State Government/UTs/Organization.
    1. 1. 80% would be earmarked for projects related to education, health and skill development.
       2. 33 to 40% would be specifically allocated for women centric projects.
  • The PMJVK would now cover five more States/UTs namely Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, Goa and Pondicherry (total 32 States/UTs).
    1. 1. Minority Concentration Areas of 61 districts out of 115 Aspirational districts have been covered under PMJVK.
       2. Unit area of implementation has been further broadened by including Minority Concentration Districts Headquarters in addition to the minority concentration Blocks, Minority Concentration Towns and cluster of minority concentration villages.
  • The area to be covered under PMJVK would be 57% more (308 districts) as compared to the existing MsDP (196 districts).
  • Monitoring Mechanism –
    1. 1. An online module along with geo-tagging has been included.
       2. All implementing agencies are too brought under Public Finance Management System (PFMS) and its effective use ensured to monitor fund utilization has been made in PMJVK.

 

OTHER SCHEMES OF MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

 

 

 

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