Executive Summary:
This document answers questions regarding the implementation of the Nai Roshni scheme, aimed at empowering minority women through leadership development, in Uttar Pradesh since 2020. It details the scheme's operational aspects, fund allocation, beneficiary numbers, and post-training outcome audits. The scheme was discontinued and subsumed under the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Nai Roshni Scheme Overview:**
* Launched in 2012-13 to empower minority women by raising awareness of women's rights and leadership development.
* Training covered health, legal rights, financial and digital literacy, sanitation, life skills, and advocacy.
* Implemented via Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs) providing 6-day training and 12 months of handholding.
* Approximately 4.35 lakh minority women trained across India since inception, including 2.37 lakh in Uttar Pradesh.
* District-wise beneficiary data and state/UT-wise fund allocation data were not maintained.
* **Funding Details (FY 2020-21 onwards):**
* 2020-21: Budget Estimate ₹6 crore, Revised Estimate ₹10 crore, Actual Expenditure ₹6 crore.
* 2021-22: Budget Estimate ₹2.99 crore, Revised Estimate ₹8 crore, Actual Expenditure ₹2.5 crore.
* 2022-23: Budget Estimate ₹0.62 crore, Revised Estimate ₹2.5 crore, Actual Expenditure ₹2 crore.
* 2023-24: Budget Estimate ₹0.1 crore, Revised Estimate ₹0 crore, Actual Expenditure ₹0 crore.
* 2024-25: Budget Estimate ₹0 crore, Revised Estimate ₹0 crore, Actual Expenditure ₹0 crore.
* Grand Total: Budget Estimate ₹20.6 crore, Revised Estimate ₹10.5 crore, Actual Expenditure ₹9.61 crore.
* **Scheme Transition:**
* Nai Roshni scheme discontinued and subsumed under PM VIKAS.
* PM VIKAS integrates five previous skilling and empowerment schemes.
* PM VIKAS emphasizes community-level aspirations and improving socioeconomic conditions through skills.
* Leadership and Entrepreneurship component of PM VIKAS offers tiered training programs (60, 120, and 240 hours).
* Advance training provided to selected participants to become Biz Sakhis/Udyami Mitras (business mentors).
* Career counselling and enterprise setup support (credit, market linkages) offered.
* **Impact Assessment:**
* An Impact and Evaluation Study of Nai Roshni Scheme was conducted.
* The report is publicly available on the Ministry's website.
Impact Analysis:
* **Minority Women:**
* *Impact:* The Nai Roshni scheme provided training and support, but it has been replaced by the PM VIKAS scheme. Minority women now have access to new training programs and support for entrepreneurship.
* *Action Required:* Explore and participate in the Leadership and Entrepreneurship subcomponent of the PM VIKAS scheme to avail of training and support.
* **Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs):**
* *Impact:* The Nai Roshni scheme, which they implemented, has been discontinued. Future involvement will be through the PM VIKAS scheme or other Ministry initiatives.
* *Action Required:* Understand the guidelines and implementation processes for the PM VIKAS scheme to explore potential involvement.
* **Ministry of Minority Affairs:**
* *Impact:* The Ministry is responsible for the transition from Nai Roshni to PM VIKAS and for ensuring the continued empowerment of minority women.
* *Action Required:* Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the PM VIKAS scheme, ensuring it meets the needs of minority women and aligns with the Atma Nirbhar Bharat vision.
Key Entities Referenced
Nai Roshni scheme: A scheme launched in 2012-13 aimed at empowering and enhancing confidence among minority women through awareness and Leadership Development.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned in the context of the Nai Roshni scheme's implementation and beneficiaries.
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS: The Government of India ministry responsible for the Nai Roshni scheme and PM VIKAS.
SHRI KIREN RIJIJU: The Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS who answered the question regarding the Nai Roshni scheme.
Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan PM VIKAS: An integrated scheme that subsumed the Nai Roshni scheme, focusing on skilling and empowerment of minorities.
Project Implementation Agencies PIAs: Agencies through which the Nai Roshni scheme was implemented across different states and UTs.
Atma Nirbhar Bharat: A vision to make India self-reliant and self-sufficient.
MS IQRA CHOUDHARY: Member of Parliament who raised the question about implementation of NAI ROSHNI SCHEME IN UTTAR PRADESH
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4553
ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025
IMPLEMENTATION OF NAI ROSHNI SCHEME IN UTTAR PRADESH
4553. MS IQRA CHOUDHARY:
Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the number and operational status of all the NGOs, training partners or implementing agencies
engaged under the Nai Roshni scheme since 2020, State and district-wise particularly for Uttar
Pradesh;
(b) the funds sanctioned, allocated and utilised under the scheme since 2020, State and district-
wise particularly for Uttar Pradesh;
(c) the number of women beneficiaries who have completed the training under this scheme, State
and district and Year-wise particularly for Uttar Pradesh; and
(d) whether any audit of post-training outcomes has been conducted in order to track the actual
benefit of the scheme and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) to (d): Nai Roshni scheme was launched in 2012-13 and was aimed to empower and enhancing
confidence among minority women by generating awareness about women rights and
interventions for ‘Leadership Development’. The training modules covered areas related to
Programmes for women such as Health and Hygiene, Legal Rights of Women, Financial Literacy,
Digital Literacy, Swachh Bharat, Life Skills, and Advocacy for Social and Behavioural changes.
Nai Roshni scheme was implemented through Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs) across
different states/ UTs, by providing 6 days training and thereafter, hand-holding to all beneficiaries
for a period of up to 12 months. Under Nai Roshni scheme, since inception, about 4.35 lakh
minority women were trained from all over India including 2.37 lakh from Uttar Pradesh. Further,
district-wise data of beneficiaries was not maintained in the said scheme. Besides, the said scheme
used to be implemented by Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) empaneled by the Ministry on a
project-level basis and not on State-level basis. Accordingly, State/UT-wise or district-wise fund
allocation data was not made under the said scheme. However, the details of total budget allocated
under the said scheme w.e.f. FY 2020-21 is as follows:-
Budget Estimates(in Revised Estimates(in Actual Expenditure(in
Year
crore) crore) crore)
2020-21
6
10 6
2021-22
2.99
8 2.5
2022-23
0.62
2.5 2
2023-24
0.1 0 0
2024-25
0 0 0
Grand Total
20.6 10.5 9.61The Nai Roshni scheme has been discontinued and has been subsumed under an integrated
scheme Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) which converges five erstwhile
skilling and empowerment schemes of the Ministry and, inter alia, lays emphasis on community-
level aspirations and challenges, and improving the socio-economic conditions through exposure
to relevant skills. The Leadership and Entrepreneurship sub-component of the PM VIKAS scheme
focuses on empowering minority women through a three tiered training programs on “Leadership
and Basic Entrepreneurship Development” and “Entrepreneurship Development”, of 60 and 120
hours, respectively. Further, advance 240-hour training is provided to selected participants to
become Biz Sakhis or Udyami Mitras, who act as business mentors to support other women
entrepreneurs locally.
Additionally, career counselling is offered to all interested participants, aiming to guide
them toward suitable education, skill training, or employment. Enterprise setup support, including
credit and market linkages, is also extended to trained women to help them establish sustainable
enterprises aligned with the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ vision.
The impact and Evaluation Study of Nai Roshni Scheme was conducted and the report is
available in public domain on the website of the Ministry (url:
https://minorityaffairs.gov.in/WriteReadData/RTF1984/1658406313.pdf)
*****