Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Minority Affairs addresses Lok Sabha question 4509 regarding the employment and economic empowerment of minorities in Assam, particularly the Muslim community. The response details various schemes implemented nationwide for the socioeconomic and educational upliftment of notified minority communities, including scholarships, infrastructure development, skill training, and financial assistance. The schemes are implemented through various channels, including the National Minorities Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) and State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs).
Key Points / Main Content:
Schemes for Minority Communities:
* The Government implements schemes for the welfare of all strata, including the Muslim minority community, focusing on economically weaker sections.
* The Ministry of Minority Affairs implements schemes for the socioeconomic and educational empowerment of six notified minority communities: Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Parsi, and Sikh.
Scholarship Schemes:
* Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme
* Post Matric Scholarship Scheme
* Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme
* Details are available on the Ministry's website: minorityaffairs.gov.in.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK):
* Centrally Sponsored Scheme for creating community infrastructure in Minority Concentration Areas.
* Focuses on Health, Skill Development, Women Centric Projects, Education, Drinking Water and Supply, Sanitation, and Sports.
* Aims to boost the social and economic conditions of minority communities, including Muslims.
Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS):
* A Central Sector Scheme converging five erstwhile schemes: Seekho Aur Kamao, Nai Manzil, Nai Roshni, USTTAD, and Hamari Dharohar.
* Focuses on socioeconomic upliftment through:
* Skilling and Training (Traditional and Non-traditional)
* Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship
* Education through the National Institute of Open Schooling
* Infrastructure Development through PMJVK
* Facilitates credit linkages through loan programs offered by NMDFC.
National Minorities Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC):
* Implements schemes for socioeconomic empowerment, including educational empowerment, by providing concessional loans for self-employment and education.
* Schemes are implemented through State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs).
* Assam Minorities Development Board (AMDB) is the new SCA for Assam, having signed a General Loan Agreement (GLA) with NMDFC.
* Government Guarantee from the State Government in favour of AMDB is awaited for the drawl of funds from NMDFC.
Social Harmony Initiatives:
* The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) holds interfaith meetings (Sarv Dharm Samvad) with representatives of minority communities and celebrates festivals of all religions to promote social harmony.
Impact Analysis:
Minority Communities (Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Parsi, Sikh):
Impact: Benefit from educational scholarships, skill development programs, infrastructure development in their areas, and access to concessional loans for self-employment and education.
Action Required: Engage with the schemes, utilize available resources, and participate in initiatives promoting social harmony.
Assam Minorities Development Board (AMDB):
Impact: Newly nominated State Channelizing Agency (SCA) for NMDFC schemes in Assam.
Action Required: Obtain Government Guarantee from the State Government to enable the drawl of funds from NMDFC and effectively implement schemes in Assam.
State Government of Assam:
Impact: Responsible for supporting the implementation of NMDFC schemes in Assam.
Action Required: Provide the Government Guarantee in favor of AMDB to facilitate the drawl of funds from NMDFC.
National Commission for Minorities (NCM):
Impact: Mandated to promote social harmony among minority religious communities.
Action Required: Continue organizing interfaith meetings and celebrating festivals to foster understanding and harmony.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Minority Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for policies and programs concerning minority communities.
Assam: A state in Northeast India, specifically mentioned in the context of employment and economic empowerment of minorities, especially the Muslim community.
Muslim community: A religious minority community in India, with specific focus on the community in Assam.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram PMJVK: A centrally sponsored scheme by the Ministry of Minority Affairs for creating community infrastructure in Minority Concentration Areas.
Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan PM VIKAS: A central sector scheme implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs for socioeconomic upliftment of notified minority communities.
National Minorities Development Finance Corporation NMDFC: An Indian government corporation that provides concessional loans for self-employment and education to backward sections of notified minority communities.
Assam Minorities Development Board AMDB: The State Channelizing Agency nominated by the State Government of Assam to implement NMDFC schemes in the state.
National Commission for Minorities NCM: A statutory body under the Ministry of Minority Affairs that promotes social harmony among minority religious communities.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †4509
TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025
EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF MINORITIES IN ASSAM
†4509. SHRI TARIQ ANWAR:
Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of schemes being run for education, employment and economic empowerment
of minority communities, especially the Muslim community of Assam;
(b) the special measures taken/being taken to address citizenship concerns, economic
backwardness and social discrimination faced by the Muslim community in Assam;
(c) the name of the training and loan schemes being run to provide employment to the youth
and for women empowerment of these communities; and
(d) the initiatives taken/being taken by the Government to maintain social harmony in
minority dominated areas?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) to (c): The Government implements various schemes for the welfare and upliftment of
every strata, including Muslim minority community, especially the economically weaker and
lesser privileged sections of the society in the country. Ministry of Minority Affairs
specifically implements following schemes across the country for socio-economic and
educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities viz. Muslim,
Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Parsi and Sikh. These schemes are as under:
SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES:
The Ministry of Minority Affairs has implemented the following three Scholarship schemes
for the educational empowerment of the six centrally notified minority communities:
i) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme;
ii) Post Matric Scholarship Scheme; and
iii) Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme.
The details of these schemes are available in public domain on the website of the Ministry i.e.
minorityaffairs.gov.in.”
PRADHAN MANTRI JAN VIKAS KARYAKRAM (PMJVK):
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, is
one of the flagship programs of the Ministry of Minority Affairs for creation of community
infrastructure in the Minority Concentration Areas of the country in various sectors
viz. Health, Skill Development, Women Centric Projects, Education, Drinking Water andSupply, Sanitation and Sports. The aim of the scheme includes to boost the social and
economic conditions of the Minority Communities including Muslims of that particular area.
PRADHAN MANTRI VIRASAT KA SAMVARDHAN (PM VIKAS)
The Ministry of Minority Affairs implements the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka
Samvardhan(PMVIKAS) as a Central Sector Scheme which converges five erstwhile
schemes viz. ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’, ‘Nai Manzil’, ‘Nai Roshni’, ‘USTTAD’ and ‘Hamari
Dharohar’ schemes.
The scheme focuses on socio-economic upliftment of six notified minority communities,
through the following:
i. Skilling and Training (Non-traditional and traditional)
ii. Women Leadership and Entrepreneurship
iii. Education (through National Institute of Open Schooling)
iv. Infrastructure Development (through Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram)
The scheme also facilitates credit linkages by connecting beneficiaries with loan programs
offered by the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC).
NATIONAL MINORITIES DEVELOPMENT & FINANCE CORPORATION
(NMDFC)
NMDFC implements its schemes for socio-economic empowerment including educational
empowerment of “backward sections” including women among the notified minority
communities by providing concessional loan for self-employment income generation
ventures & education loan for technical & professional courses, across the country. The
schemes of NMDFC are implemented through State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs)
nominated by respective State Government / UT Administration.
The State Government of Assam has recently nominated Assam Minorities Development
Board (AMDB) as the new State Channelizing Agency (SCA) to implement NMDFC
schemes in the state of Assam. AMDB has signed General Loan Agreement (GLA) with
NMDFC. However, Government Guarantee from State Government in favour of AMDB is
awaited for drawl of funds from NMDFC.
(d): To promote social harmony and understanding among the different minority religious
communities, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), a statutory body under the
Ministry of Minority Affairs, regularly holds interfaith meetings (Sarv Dharm Samvad) with
the representatives of minority communities, including Muslim community and celebrations
of festivals of all religions.
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