**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer given by the Minister of Minority Affairs to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the Jiyo Parsi Scheme, its impact on the declining Parsi population, and any proposed revisions. The report specifies the scheme's components, eligibility criteria, financial achievements, and an evaluation study conducted in 2025, as well as its proposed continuation. The questions were answered on 17.12.2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Population Trends and Scheme Launch:**
* The Parsi population declined from 114,000 in 1941 to 57,264 in 2011.
* The Jiyo Parsi Scheme was launched in 2013-14 to arrest this decline.
* **Scheme Components:**
* **Medical Assistance:** Financial assistance for Parsi couples undergoing treatment for infertility, pregnancy complications, and new-born complications. Available to couples with an annual family income up to Rs 30 lakh.
* **Health of Community:** Financial assistance for care of children and dependent elderly family members. Available to couples with annual family income up to Rs 15 lakh.
* **Advocacy:** Creating awareness about the scheme's benefits.
* **Implementation and Evaluation:**
* Assistance is released through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) after biometric authentication.
* Expenditure of Rs 17.64 crore was incurred, and 232 babies were born under the scheme from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
* A 2025 evaluation by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) found the scheme largely successful and beneficial for increasing the Parsi population.
* **Future of the Scheme:**
* The scheme is being considered for continuation during the next Finance Commission cycle.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Parsi Community**
* **Impact:** Access to financial assistance for medical treatments and family care, increased awareness of available support.
* **Action Required:** To avail the benefits of the Jiyo Parsi Scheme, eligible couples should apply and comply with the requirements, including biometric authentication and income verification.
* **Ministry of Minority Affairs**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the effective implementation and monitoring of the Jiyo Parsi Scheme, overseeing fund allocation and DBT.
* **Action Required:** Continue evaluating and refine the scheme based on feedback and population trends, ensure continued funding, and prepare for the next Finance Commission cycle.
* **International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)**
* **Impact:** Conducting the evaluation study of the Jiyo Parsi Scheme and providing insights into its effectiveness.
* **Action Required:** Provide recommendations for improving the scheme based on findings.
Key Entities Referenced
Jiyo Parsi Scheme: A scheme launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2013-14 to reverse the decline in the Parsi population through medical assistance, community health initiatives, and advocacy.
Ministry of Minority Affairs: The government ministry responsible for launching and administering the Jiyo Parsi Scheme.
National Commission of Minorities Act 1992: Act under which the Parsi community is notified as a minority community.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2793
TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025
JIYO PARSI SCHEME
2793. SHRI JASHUBHAI BHILUBHAI RATHVA:
Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the current population trend of the Parsi community in the country and whether any recent
demographic assessment has been undertaken in connection with the Jiyo Parsi Scheme and if so,
the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has conducted any evaluation or impact study of the Jiyo Parsi Scheme
since its launch;
(c) if so, the key findings regarding its effectiveness in reversing or stabilising population decline;
(d) the details of major components and eligibility criteria under the scheme including the income
limit prescribed for availing benefits under the medical assistance component;
(e) the details of financial and physical achievements under the Jiyo Parsi Scheme during the last
five years, including the number of beneficiaries supported and the total expenditure incurred; and
(f) whether the Government proposes to expand or revise the scheme in view of demographic trends
and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) to (f) 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.
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