Parliament Question: 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) *****