Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Minority Affairs addressed a parliamentary question regarding spreading awareness of schemes like Seekho aur Kamao, PMVIKAS, and Nai Roshni. The response detailed the Ministry's approach to awareness campaigns, including events like Hunar Haat and Lok Samvardhan Parv. Three editions of Lok Samvardhan Parv, with emphasis on urban engagement and outreach, have been held in Delhi.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **PM VIKAS Scheme:**
* A flagship scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, converging five earlier schemes, including Seekho aur Kamao and Nai Roshni.
* Focuses on empowering minority communities through skill development, entrepreneurship, leadership training for women, and educational support.
* **Seekho aur Kamao (SAK) Scheme:**
* Launched in 2013-14, aimed to upgrade the skills of minority youth aged 14-45 years.
* Trained approximately 4.68 lakh beneficiaries since its inception.
* **Nai Roshni Scheme:**
* Initiated in 2012-13 to empower women from minority communities.
* Focused on providing women with the knowledge and tools to engage with government systems and institutions.
* **Awareness Campaigns:**
* The Ministry has been organizing Hunar Haat (under USTTAD) and Lok Samvardhan Parv (under PM VIKAS) to promote schemes and showcase artisans.
* 41 Hunar Haat and 4 Lok Samvardhan Parv events have been held.
* **Lok Samvardhan Parv Enhancements:**
* Improvements are continuously made based on sales data and feedback, including better infrastructure, digital enablement, and capacity building.
* **Financial Support:**
* The National Minority Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) provides enterprise development loans.
* **Integration and Learning:**
* PM VIKAS integrates and builds upon the five erstwhile schemes of the Ministry, including Seekho aur Kamao and Nai Roshni.
* The scheme incorporates key learnings and recommendations from the impact assessments of these earlier programmes.
Impact Analysis:
* **Minority Communities:**
* Impact: Benefit from skill development, entrepreneurship opportunities, leadership training (particularly for women), and educational support. Increased awareness of available schemes and opportunities to showcase and market their skills and products.
* Action Required: Participate in training programs, apply for loans, engage with government systems, and participate in events like Lok Samvardhan Parv.
* **Artisans and Craftspeople:**
* Impact: Provided with platforms like Hunar Haat and Lok Samvardhan Parv to showcase and market their handicrafts and culinary traditions.
* Action Required: Participate in Hunar Haat and Lok Samvardhan Parv events to promote their products and skills.
* **Ministry of Minority Affairs:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and improving the PM VIKAS scheme and related awareness campaigns.
* Action Required: Organize and enhance events like Hunar Haat and Lok Samvardhan Parv, gather feedback, and improve scheme implementation based on impact assessments.
* **National Minority Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC):**
* Impact: Plays a role in supporting self-employment and entrepreneurship through the provision of enterprise development loans.
* Action Required: Provide enterprise development loans and showcase government schemes.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Minority Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for the welfare of minority communities.
Seekho aur Kamao: A skill development scheme aimed at upgrading the skills of minority youth.
PM VIKAS: Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan, a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, launched by converging five earlier schemes.
Nai Roshni: A scheme aimed at empowering and building confidence among women belonging to minority communities.
Shri Praveen Khandelwal: Member of Parliament who asked the starred question.
Shri Kiren Rijiju: The Minister of Minority Affairs who answered the question in the Lok Sabha.
Hunar Haat: An event organized under the USTTAD scheme to promote the cultural and economic contributions of minority artisans.
Delhi: The location of a pilot project and multiple editions of Lok Samvardhan Parv.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. *46
ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
SPREADING AWARENESS ABOUT SCHEMES
*46. Shri Praveen Khandelwal:
Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has considered involving recognised market or trade associations as
communication partners to spread awareness of schemes like Seekho aur Kamao, PM-VIKAS or
Nai Roshni in urban commercial zones and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether any pilot project has been done in Delhi and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) whether the Government is planning to institutionalise such partnership model and if so, the
details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.
*****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 46 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025 ASKED BY
HON’BLE PRAVEEN KHANDELWAL, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING
“SPREADING AWARENESS ABOUT SCHEMES”
(a) to (c) Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) is a flagship scheme of the
Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), launched by converging five earlier schemes, including
Seekho aur Kamao (SAK) and Nai Roshni. The scheme focuses on the empowerment of minority
communities through skill development; entrepreneurship; leadership training for minority
women; and educational support for school dropouts.
The Seekho aur Kamao scheme, launched in 2013-14, aimed to upgrade the skills of
minority youth of 14–45 years of age in modern/ traditional sectors, based on their qualifications,
economic trends, and market potential. The objective was to equip them for suitable employment
or self-employment. Since its inception, around 4.68 lakh beneficiaries were trained under the
SAK scheme.
The Nai Roshni Scheme was a program launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs,
Government of India, aimed at empowering and building confidence among women belonging to
minority communities. The scheme was initiated in 2012-13 with the goal of equipping these
women with the knowledge, tools, and techniques needed to effectively engage with government
systems, banks, and other institutions at various levels.
To raise awareness about its various schemes and promote the cultural and economic
contributions of minority artisans, the Ministry had been organising ‘Hunar Haat’ under the
USTTAD scheme and now has been organising ‘Lok Samvardhan Parv’ under the PM VIKAS
scheme. These events offer artisans a platform to showcase their crafts and interact with the
public. These events serve a dual purpose—preserving cultural heritage, and fostering awareness
of the Ministry's welfare schemes among minority communities and the general public. Till now,
Ministry has organised 41 ‘Hunar Haat’ and 4 ‘Lok Samvardhan Parv’ at various locations in the
country wherein opportunity has been provided to artisans/ craftpersons from the minority
communities to showcase and market their handicraft and indigenous products and culinary
traditions.Based on the sales data and comprehensive feedback received during successive
editions of the 'Lok Samvardhan Parv', the Ministry undertakes improvement initiatives to
enhance the impact and reach of the event. These improvements may include better
infrastructure, improved stall layout, digital enablement for on-site sales, capacity building for
participating artisans, and targeted promotional strategies. This feedback improvement
mechanism is aimed at increasing footfall, enhancing buyer engagement, and ensuring greater
visibility and market linkages for minority artisans and entrepreneurs.
Additionally, to support self-employment and entrepreneurship, the National Minority
Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC), under the Ministry, provides enterprise
development loans and also showcases the schemes being implemented by the Government
through the Ministry.
The PM VIKAS integrates and builds upon the five erstwhile schemes of the Ministry,
including Seekho aur Kamao and Nai Roshni. The scheme incorporates key learnings and
recommendations from the impact assessments of these earlier programmes. Three editions of
the ‘Lok Samvardhan Parv’, with emphasis on urban engagement and outreach, have been held
in Delhi.
*****