**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer given by the Minister of Minority Affairs to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. †1658 regarding the Nai Roshni Scheme, answered on December 10, 2025. The question inquired about the number of beneficiaries in Maharashtra, the list and operational status of Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) in Maharashtra, and the impact assessment of the scheme in Maharashtra. The answer discusses the Nai Roshni scheme and its integration into the PM VIKAS scheme.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Nai Roshni Scheme:**
* Launched in 2012-13.
* Aimed to empower and enhance confidence among minority women.
* Focused on generating awareness about women's rights and interventions for Leadership Development.
* Provided 6 days of training.
* Offered hand-holding to beneficiaries for up to 12 months post-training.
* About 4.35 lakh minority women were trained across India.
* **Training Modules:**
* Covered areas like Health and Hygiene, Legal Rights of Women, Financial Literacy, Digital Literacy, Swachh Bharat, Life Skills, and Advocacy for Social and Behavioral changes.
* **Integration into PM VIKAS Scheme:**
* Nai Roshni is now subsumed under Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS).
* PM VIKAS converges five erstwhile skilling and empowerment schemes.
* Focuses on community-level aspirations and challenges and socio-economic empowerment of minorities.
* Emphasizes skill development, women leadership and entrepreneurship, and education of school dropouts.
* **Leadership and Entrepreneurship Sub-component of PM VIKAS:**
* Empowers minority women through three-tiered training programs: "Leadership and Basic Entrepreneurship Development", and "Entrepreneurship Development" (60 and 120 hours, respectively).
* Advanced 240-hour training provided to select participants to become “Biz Sakhis” or “Udyami Mitras” (business mentors).
* **Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs):**
* The list of PIAs empaneled in Nai Roshni Scheme during FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22 from State of Maharashtra is attached as Annexure-I.
* **Impact Assessment:**
* Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog conducted an Evaluation Study on the Nai Roshni Scheme.
* The report is available on the Ministry's website.
**Impact Analysis**
**Minister of Minority Affairs**
* **Impact:** Accountable for providing information on the Nai Roshni scheme, its implementation, and impact.
* **Action Required:** Ensure the information provided is accurate and complete.
**Minority Women:**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of the Nai Roshni scheme, aiming to empower them through skills development and awareness.
* **Action Required:** Participate in training programs to enhance skills and knowledge.
**Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs):**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing the Nai Roshni scheme and providing training to beneficiaries.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing the scheme effectively, adhering to guidelines, and collaborating with the government.
**NITI Aayog:**
* **Impact:** Responsible for conducting impact assessment.
* **Action Required:** Ensure the report is available on the Ministry's website.
Key Entities Referenced
Nai Roshni Scheme: A scheme launched in 2012-13 aimed at empowerment and enhancement of confidence among minority women, later subsumed under PM VIKAS.
Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS): An integrated scheme that subsumed Nai Roshni, converging five erstwhile skilling and empowerment schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Ministry of Minority Affairs: The government ministry responsible for the Nai Roshni Scheme and PM VIKAS, focusing on minority affairs.
Maharashtra: One of the states where the Nai Roshni scheme was implemented; it is mentioned in the context of expected beneficiaries, training partners, and impact assessment.
NITI Aayog: The Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog conducted an evaluation study on the Nai Roshni scheme.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1658
ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025
NAI ROSHNI SCHEME
†1658. SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR:
Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the expected number of beneficiaries in Maharashtra under the Nayi Roshni (pre-merger)
and leadership and entrepreneurship components during the last seven years;
(b) the list of Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs)/Training Partners operating in
Maharashtra and their current operational status;
(c) whether the Government has conducted an impact assessment of this scheme for
Maharashtra; and
(d) if so, the details thereof along with key findings thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) and (b): Nai Roshni scheme was launched in 2012-13 and was aimed at empowerment and
enhancement of 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 the Nai Roshni scheme,
since inception, about 4.35 lakh minority women were trained from all over India.
The Nai Roshni scheme 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 socio-economic empowerment of minorities through skill
development, women leadership and entrepreneurship and education of school dropouts. 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, an advanced 240-hour training is provided to selected participants
to become “Biz Sakhis” or “Udyami Mitras”, who are envisaged to act as business mentors to
support other women entrepreneurs locally.
The list of Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) empaneled in Nai Roshni Scheme
during FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22 from State of Maharashtra is attached as Annexure-I.
(c) and (d): Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NlTI Aayog had
conducted an Evaluation Study on Nai Roshni scheme, and the said report is available on
Ministry’s website (url:
https://minorityaffairs.gov.in/WriteReadData/RTF1984/7453566297.pdf).
*****Annexure-I
Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) and (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.
1658 to be answered on 10.12.2025 asked by Hon’ble Member of Parliament SHRI
OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR regarding “NAI
ROSHNI SCHEME”
Number of empaneled PIAs in Nai Roshni Scheme during FY 2015-16 to FY 2021-22 from
State of Maharashtra
S.No. List of Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs)
1 Alqama Education and Welfare Society
2 Aaj Individual Development and Education
3 Anjana Bahuddeshiya Shikshan Sanstha
4 Apurva Mahila Samajik Sanstha
5 Adarsh Multipurpose Society
6 Bhagini Nivedita Shiksha Samiti
7 Bhagyalaxmi Health and Education Society
8 ICA Edu Skills Pvt Ltd
9 Lokmanya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal
10 M.A. Jayvantrao Patil Bahu Uddheshiya Sanstha
11 Orange City Education Society
12 SAARC Multipurpose Society
13 The Deccan Muslim Institute
14 Vidarbha Bhu-Udeeshiya Vikas Sanstha
*****