Date: 2025-12-17Category: Press ReleaseState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Jiyo Parsi Scheme under Ministry of Minority Affairs has been largely successful in reaching its intended population and widely acknowledged by the Parsi Population
**Executive Summary**
The Jiyo Parsi Scheme, launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2013-14 to address the declining Parsi population, has been successful in reaching its intended population. An evaluation study conducted by IIPS in 2025 confirmed the scheme's success and near-universal acknowledgement among respondents about the usefulness of the scheme. The scheme is now under consideration for continuation during the next Finance Commission cycle.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Background:**
* The Parsi population has declined significantly from 1,14,000 in 1941 to 57,264 in 2011.
* The Jiyo Parsi Scheme was launched in 2013-14 to reverse this trend.
* **Scheme Components:**
* Medical Assistance: Financial aid for Parsi couples for infertility treatment, pregnancy complications, and newborn complications (available to couples with an annual family income up to Rs 30 lakh).
* Health of Community: Financial aid for Parsi couples towards care of children and dependent elderly family members (available to couples with an annual family income up to Rs 15 lakh).
* Advocacy: Awareness campaigns about the scheme's benefits.
* **Implementation & Results:**
* Assistance is released via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) after biometric authentication and verification.
* From 2020-21 to 2024-25, Rs 17.64 crore was spent, and 232 babies were born under the scheme.
* **Evaluation:**
* IIPS conducted an evaluation study in 2025, confirming the scheme's success and positive reception.
* **Future:**
* The scheme is being considered for continuation in the next Finance Commission cycle.
**Impact Analysis**
**Parsi Couples**
* **Impact**:
* Access to financial assistance for medical treatments related to fertility and childbirth.
* Support for the care of children and elderly family members.
* **Action Required**:
* Engage with the scheme and comply with the application process, including biometric authentication and verification.
**Ministry of Minority Affairs**
* **Impact**:
* Responsible for the successful execution and continued funding of the scheme.
* Demonstrates a commitment to preserving minority communities.
* **Action Required**:
* Continue the evaluation and monitoring the scheme's effectiveness.
* Advocate for the scheme's continuation during the next Finance Commission cycle.
**State Governments**
* **Impact**:
* Involved in the verification process and DBT implementation.
* **Action Required**:
* Ensure efficient and accurate biometric authentication and verification of beneficiaries.
Key Entities Referenced
Jiyo Parsi Scheme: A scheme launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2013-14 to arrest the decline in the Parsi population, providing medical assistance, community health support, and advocacy.
Ministry of Minority Affairs: The primary government ministry responsible for implementing and overseeing the Jiyo Parsi Scheme.
National Commission of Minorities Act 1992: Legislation under which Parsis (Zoroastrians) are designated as a notified minority community.
Ministry of Minority Affairs
Jiyo Parsi Scheme under Ministry of Minority
Affairs has been largely successful in reaching its
intended population and widely acknowledged
by the Parsi Population
प्रव तथ: 17 DEC 2025 12:47PM by PIB Delhi
The population of Parsis (Zoroastrians), a notified minority community under the National Commission of
Minorities Act 1992, has declined from 1,14,000 in 1941 to 57,264 in 2011 as per census data. In order to
arrest the decline in population and reverse the trend, the Government of India through the Ministry of
Minority Affairs launched the Jiyo Parsi Scheme in 2013-14. The scheme has three components:
i) Medical Assistance – to provide financial assistance to Parsi couples for treatment for infertility,
pregnancy complications and new-born complications; this is available to Parsi couples with annual
family income upto Rs 30 lakh.
ii) Health of Community – to provide financial assistance to Parsi couples towards care of children and
dependent elderly family members; this is available to Parsi couples with annual family income upto Rs
15 lakh.
iii) Advocacy – to create awareness about the benefits available under the scheme.
The assistance under the scheme is being released to the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer
(DBT) mode after biometric authentication and other verifications by the respective State Governments.
During the last 5 years (i.e., 2020-21 to 2024-25), expenditure of Rs 17.64 crore was incurred and 232
babies were born under the scheme.
An evaluation study of the scheme was conducted by International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
during 2025. According to the report submitted by IIPS, the scheme has been largely successful in
reaching its intended population and there was a near-universal acknowledgement among the respondents
about the usefulness of the scheme in increasing the Parsi population.
The scheme is being considered for continuation during the next Finance Commission cycle.
This information was given by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in
Lok Sabha today.
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