The government is implementing a range of schemes aimed at the welfare and upliftment of minority communities, particularly the economically weaker and less privileged sections, through various ministries, including Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Social Justice and Empowerment, Textiles, Culture, Women and Child Development, and Rural Development, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
In a written reply, Union Minister of Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday detailed the initiatives exclusively designed for the socio-economic and educational empowerment of six notified minority communities—Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Parsi, and Jain. The Ministry of Minority Affairs and its associated organisations are spearheading several targeted programmes to support these communities.
These initiatives include the Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Schemes to promote educational empowerment, the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) programme for skill development and training, and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) for infrastructure development in minority-concentrated areas. Additionally, the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) offers loan schemes to support income generation and education.
The minister also highlighted that under Section 9(d) of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992, the Commission addresses grievances raised by minority individuals by coordinating with relevant authorities for redressal. The Ministry of Minority Affairs and its associated organisations also actively resolve complaints received from minority communities.
