Parliament Question: Schemes Implemented for Minorities in Darjeeling and Kalimpong Districts

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1807 ANSWERED ON 29.07.2026 SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED FOR MINORITIES IN DARJEELING AND KALIMPONG DISTRICTS 1807. SHRI RAJU BISTA Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state: - (a) the details of the number of beneficiaries in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts who have availed Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means scholarships and NMDFC loan schemes during the last five years, category-wise; (b) the details of funds allocated and utilised in the districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong under various minority welfare schemes including the Multi-Sectoral Development Project (MSDP) during the last five years; and (c) the details of infrastructure projects sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) in West Bengal including Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU) (a) & (b): Ministry of Minority Affairs implements following schemes for socio-economic empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities namely Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs in India: SCHOLARSHIP Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India implements three Scholarship Schemes, i.e. Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Schemes, across the country for six notified minority communities. These three Scholarship Schemes are not in operation beyond 2021-22. However, funds have been released beyond 2021-22 as committed liabilities. The district-wise, year-wise details of scholarships disbursed in: Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, category-wise (last five years) are at Annexure-A.NATIONAL MINORITY DEVELOPMENT & FINANCE COOPERATION (NMDFC) National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) implements its schemes for socio-economic development of “backward sections” among the notified minority communities by providing concessional loan for self-employment income generation ventures across the country. The fund allocated/ utilized under NMDFC's concessional credit schemes and details of beneficiaries in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts during the last five years, category-wise, are enclosed at Annexure - B & Annexure - C. PRADHAN MANTRI JAN VIKAS KARYAKRAM (PMJVK) PMJVK erstwhile MSDP till the year 2013-14, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, is one of the flagship program of the Ministry of Minority Affairs for creation of community infrastructure in the Minority Concentration Areas of the country in the sectors viz. Health, Skill Development, Education, Women Centric Projects, Drinking Water and Supply, Sanitation, Sports, Renewable energy and Other Community Infrastructure. PMJVK is a demand driven scheme and State/UT-wise/district-wise allocation of funds is not made under the Scheme. PRADHAN MANTRI VIRASAT KA SAMVARDHAN (PMVIKAS) Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is a flagship scheme of the Ministry which converges five erstwhile schemes viz. ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’, ‘Nai Manzil’, ‘Nai Roshni’, ‘Hamari Dharohar’ and ‘USTTAD’; and focuses on socio-economic empowerment of six notified minorities in India. A total of Rs. 877.92 crore was allocated to 59 PIAs under PM VIKAS scheme out of which an amount of Rs. 207.52 crores were released so far under the scheme. As PM VIKAS is a Central Sector Scheme; therefore, no fund allocation was made to States/ UTs under the scheme. JIYO PARSI Jiyo Parsi is a unique Central Sector Scheme launched in 2013-14 with the objective to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilize their population and increase the population of Parsis in India. Jiyo Parsi Scheme is demand-driven and is available to eligible members of the Parsi community across the country. No beneficiaries have been reported from the Darjeeling and Kalimpong district under the Jiyo Parsi Scheme. (c) The details of infrastructure projects approved under PMJVK Scheme for Darjeeling and Kalimpong district since inception are at Annexure D. *****ANNEXURE – A ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) & (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1807 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2026 ASKED BY HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SHRI RAJU BISTA REGARDING “SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED FOR MINORITIES IN DARJEELING AND KALIMPONG DISTRICTS”. Year-wise, Scheme-wise Achievement of DARJEELING & KALIMPONG for AY 2021-22 to AY 2025-26 Pre-Matric Post-Matric MCM Year District Musl Christ Sik Jai Par Budd Tot amoun Musl Christ Sik Jai Par Budd Tot amou Musl Christ Sik Jai Par Budd Tot amoun im ian h n si hist al t im ian h n si hist al nt im ian h n si hist al t DARJEEL 151141 ING 0 5 0 0 0 0 5 15600 17 33 0 1 0 38 89 781034 31 7 1 0 0 15 54 0 2021- KALIMP 22 ONG 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 12400 1 11 0 0 0 8 20 186963 2 0 0 0 0 4 6 150810 DARJEEL ING 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 0 0 0 3 13 145800 4 0 0 0 0 3 7 170000 2022- KALIMP 23 ONG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 13800 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 55000 DARJEEL ING 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2023- KALIMP 24 ONG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 DARJEEL ING 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2024- KALIMP 25 ONG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 DARJEEL ING 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2025- KALIMP 26 ONG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 188722 Total 0 8 0 0 0 0 8 28000 21 52 0 1 0 49 123 1127597 38 7 1 0 0 23 69 0ANNEXURE-B ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) & (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1807 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2026 ASKED BY HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SHRI RAJU BISTA REGARDING “SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED FOR MINORITIES IN DARJEELING AND KALIMPONG DISTRICTS”. Name of Scheme (Term Amt. Amt. Minority Loan/Micro Financial Allocated DISTRICT Disbursed Beneficiaries Finance/Educatio Year (in (in Lakhs) Assisted n Loan/Virasat Lakhs) Scheme Term Loan 211.00 209.19 181 Micro Finance 2021-22 280.00 269.68 1353 Education Loan 5.00 4.18 3 Term Loan 150.00 129.77 169 Micro Finance 2022-23 282.00 280.97 1444 Education Loan 5.00 0.00 0 Term Loan 150.00 148.68 143 Micro Finance 2023-24 200.00 177.35 887 Education Loan 5.50 4.22 1 DARJEELI NG Term Loan 150.00 60.75 71 Micro Finance 2024-25 200.00 92.83 341 Education Loan 8.00 0.00 0 Term Loan 180.00 171.76 174 Micro Finance 2025-26 250.00 248.95 854 Education Loan 17.00 14.20 4 Term Loan 2026-27 180.00 0.00 0 (As on Micro Finance 250.00 0.00 0 30.06.202 Education Loan 19.00 0.00 0 6)ANNEXURE – C ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) & (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1807 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2026 ASKED BY HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SHRI RAJU BISTA REGARDING “SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED FOR MINORITIES IN DARJEELING AND KALIMPONG DISTRICTS”. Name of Scheme (Term Amt. Amt. Minority Loan/Micro Financial Allocated Disbursed DISTRICT Beneficiaries Finance/Education Year (in (in Assisted Loan/Virasat Lakhs) Lakhs) Scheme Term Loan 70.00 66.22 78 Micro Finance 2021-22 100.00 91.79 454 Education Loan 4.50 2.12 3 Term Loan 50.00 39.90 83 Micro Finance 2022-23 100.00 78.10 489 Education Loan 5.00 0.00 0 Term Loan 103.00 101.27 123 Micro Finance 2023-24 100.00 84.73 378 Education Loan 5.00 0.00 0 KALIMPONG Term Loan 50.00 22.23 32 Micro Finance 2024-25 150.00 130.25 423 Education Loan 6.00 0.00 0 Term Loan 100.00 87.69 103 Micro Finance 2025-26 160.00 156.70 519 Education Loan 7.00 0.00 0 Term Loan 2026-27 100.00 0.00 0 Micro Finance (As on 160.00 0.00 0 Education Loan 30.06.2026) 8.00 0.00 0ANNEXURE – D ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (C) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1807 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2026 ASKED BY HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SHRI RAJU BISTA REGARDING “SCHEMES IMPLEMENTED FOR MINORITIES IN DARJEELING AND KALIMPONG DISTRICTS”. Rs. in Lakh Name of Name of Project No of units Total cost Central share District approved approved approved Darjeeling Additional Classrooms/ 220 1616.81 1018.735 Library/ Lab/ Hall in schools AWC 227 1857.33 1303.65 Community Service Centre/ 7 490 294 Sadbhav Mandap/ Community Hall Drinking Water 40 90 45 Health Projects 18 270 202.5 Hostel for school/ ITI/ 6 653.07 408.65 polytechnic ITI/ Additional 3 3773.66 1500 Infrastructure for ITI Non Civil works- Bicycle/ 1869 56.98095 50.64821 furniture/ Equipment/ Training Other Infrastructure in 1 5 2.5 school School Buildings 9 108 70.2 SMART Classroom/ 1 6 4.5 Computer Lab/ Teaching Aid in school Working Women Hostel 1 70 42 Kalimpong Health Projects 4 0 0 Hostel for school/ ITI/ 2 224 134.4 polytechnic Non Civil works- Bicycle/ 60 5.4 5.4 furniture/ Equipment/ Training School Buildings 1 575 345 Grand Total 2465 9801.25095 5427.18321 *****