Status of Conditions of Minorities

Six religious communities viz Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains have been notified as minority communities under Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice Ranganath Misra to recommend measures for the welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities submitted its report in 2007 and the same was laid on the Table of both the Houses of Parliament on 18.12.2009. The findings of the NCRLM on the conditions of minorities are available in the report.

A High Level Committee, constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retired) Rajinder Sachar to gather data/information for preparation of a comprehensive report on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community of India, in its report in 2006 had indicated that the Muslim community lags behind the mainstream in social, economic and educational sectors. The report had been laid on the Table of both the Houses of Parliament on 30.11.2006.

To improve the socio-economic and educational status of Minorities, following schemes are being implemented by this Ministry:

(i) Multi-sectoral Development Programme: The Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) is an area development initiative to address the development deficits by creating socio-economic infrastructure and providing basic amenities. The Programme was implemented in 90 Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) of the country during the 11^th Five Year Plan and 2012-13. The Programme has been restructured in 2013-14 to make it more effective and more focused on the targeted minorities for its implementation during the 12^th Five Year Plan period. In the restructured MsDP, the unit area of planning has been changed to blocks/towns/clusters of villages instead of district for sharper focus on the minority concentration areas.

(ii) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme: Under this Scheme, scholarships are awarded to minority students up to class X, who have secured not less than 50% marks in the previous final examination and the annual income of their parents / guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs. 1.00 Lakh. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students. This is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% central assistance.

(iii) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme:- Under this Scheme, scholarships are awarded to minority students from class XI onwards who have secured not less than 50% marks or equivalent grade in the previous final examination and the annual income of whose parents/guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs. 2.00 lakh. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students. This is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% central assistance.

(iv) Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarship Scheme: The Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarship Scheme provides financial assistance to the poor and meritorious minority students pursuing professional studies at graduate and post-graduate levels. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for girl students. This is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% central assistance.

(v) Maulana Azad National Fellowship - The Fellowship is provided to students from minority communities, as notified by the Central Government to pursue higher studies such as M.Phil and Ph.D. The Fellowship covers all Universities/Institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).The Fellowship is on the pattern of UGC Fellowships awarded to research students pursuing regular and full time M.Phil and Ph.D. courses. 30% of the scholarships are earmarked for eligible girl students.

(vi) Free Coaching & Allied Scheme – This scheme is to assist students belonging to the minority communities by way of special coaching for qualifying examinations for admission in technical/ professional courses such as engineering, medical and Competitive examinations for recruitment to Group ‘A’ , ‘B’ and ‘C’ services and other equivalent posts under the Central and State governments including public sector undertakings.

(vii) Padho Pardesh- Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans – This scheme is to award interest subsidy to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections of notified minority communities so as to provide them better opportunities for higher education abroad at Masters and Ph.D levels and enhance their employability.

(viii) Support to minority candidates clearing Prelims conducted by UPSC/SSC, State Public Service Commission (PSC) etc. – This Scheme is to provide financial support to the minority candidates clearing prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and State Public Service Commissions to adequately equip them to compete for appointment to Civil Services in the Union and the State Governments and to increase the representation of the minorities in the Civil Services.

(ix) Seekho aur Kamao (Learn & Earn): It is a placement linked skill development programme for minority youths, being implemented since the year 2013-14. This scheme aims at upgrading the skills of minority youths in various modern as well as traditional skills which can earn them suitable employment or make them suitably skilled to go for self-employment. The scheme ensures placements of minimum 75% trained youths, out of which at least 50% placement is in organized sector.

(x) Nai Roshni (Leadership Development of Minority Women): This is a scheme for women empowerment through sensitization and leadership Development of Minority Women being implemented all over the country by this Ministry since 2012-13. The objective of the scheme is to empower and instill confidence in women, by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, banks, and intermediaries at all levels.

(xi) “USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development)”: The scheme was launched on 14.5.2015 to preserve rich heritage of traditional arts/crafts of minorities, set standards of crafts practiced by minorities, build capacity of poor traditional artisans/craftsmen and link them with market.

(xii) National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC): NMDFC is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under administrative control of this Ministry, provides concessional loans for self-employment and income generating activities to eligible minorities. The loans are extended to individuals or Self-Help Groups through State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) nominated by the concerned State Governments/UT administrations.

(xiii) Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS): MANAS has been established on 11/11/2014, as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for addressing all skill development needs of minority communities, to ensure provision of sustainable livelihoods to them, with emphasis on self-employment. Based on market demand, the Academy provides an All India level training framework for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (E&SDP) based on PPP model, for imparting training to minority population, with concessional credit linkages.

(xiv) Jiyo Parsi: “For containing the population decline of the Parsi community, a Central Sector Scheme ‘Jiyo Parsi’ was launched during 2013-14. The objective of this scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions to stabilize their population and balance their population in India.

(xv) Nai Manzil: An integrated education and livelihood initiative for the minority communities scheme has been launched on 08.08.2015 on pilot basis for formal education of school dropouts and Madarsa students to enhance their education and skills in various trade to enable them for gainful employment.

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Separate Budget for 15 Point Programme

The Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the welfare of minorities is an overarching programme, covering many schemes implemented by various Ministries/Departments including Ministry of Minority Affairs, throughout the country. This programme aims to monitor the implementation of 24 different schemes of Government of India (of 11 Ministries/Departments) and to see that equitable share of the schemes (except those schemes, which are implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs and exclusively meant for the welfare of minority communities) is spent for the welfare of minority communities.

Funds are allocated for different schemes by the respective Ministries/Departments. The target setting and their implementation for welfare of minorities is monitored by Ministry of Minority Affairs, being Nodal Ministry for implementation of 15 PP. Owing to the complexity of the programme and its wide reach, wherever possible, the concerned Ministries/Departments earmark 15% of the targets/outlays for minorities in areas with substantial minority population. These are (all funded through the budget of the concerned Ministries/Departments):

· Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme providing services through Anganwadi Centres (Ministry of Women & Child Development);

· Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Ministry of Human Resources Development);

· Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (renamed as Aajeevika) (Ministry of Rural Development);

· Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY) (Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation);

· Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) [M/o Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (erstwhile Ministry of Labour & Employment)];

· Bank credit under priority sector lending (Department of Financial Services); and

· Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) (Ministry of Rural Development).

Besides above, various schemes being implemented for minorities by the Ministry of Minority Affairs are also included in the Programme, in which 100% of funds are utilised for the welfare of minority communities. These include:

· Pre-Matric Scholarship.

· Post-Matric Scholarship.

· Merit-cum-Means Scholarship for technical & professional courses.

· Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students.

· Equity to National Minority Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) for providing concessional loans.

· Schemes of Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) for promotion of education.

· Free Coaching and Allied scheme.

A total of Rs. 2,534.53 crore have been expended during 2014-15 against these schemes, exclusively for the minorities by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Further, there are some other schemes included in the programme for which flow of fund to minority concentration areas is quantified, which include (all funded through the budget of the concerned Ministries/Departments):

· Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) (Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation)

· Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) (Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation)

· Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) (Ministry of Urban Development)

· Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG) (Ministry of Urban Development)

· National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) (Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation)

On implementation of these schemes, most of the people living in such minority concentration areas would be benefited although.

In addition to above, there are some special initiatives included in the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities, which are as under (all funded through the budget of the concerned Ministries/Departments):

· Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madarsa (SPQEM) (Department of School Education & Literacy);

· Scheme for Infrastructure Development of Minority Institutions (IDMI) (Department of School Education & Literacy );

· Greater Resources for Teaching Urdu – Scheme for Appointment of Language Teachers (Department of School Education & Literacy);

The Government has also issued instructions/guidelines regarding protection of minority interests. These are:

· Recruitment of minorities in Govt. Departments/ Organisations (Department of Personnel & Training)

· Guidelines on Communal harmony (Ministry of Home Affairs)

These are meant for the benefit of minority communities.

The details of the status of implementation of these schemes, along with physical and financial targets fixed and achieved, wherever applicable, are available on the website of the Ministry of Minority Affairs i.e. www.minorityaffairs.gov.in and on the websites of concerned Ministries/ Departments implementing the schemes.

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Socio-Economic and Educational Status of Muslims

A High Level Committee, constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retired) Rajinder Sachar to gather data/information for preparation of a comprehensive report on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community of India, in its report has indicated that the Muslim community lags behind the mainstream in social, economic and educational sectors.

The recommendations of the Committee were examined by the Government and the following focus areas were identified for their implementation for the welfare of all the six minority communities:

(i) Education (15 decisions);

(ii) Skill Development of Minorities (2 decisions);

(iii) Access to credit (6 decisions);

(iv) Special development initiatives (2 decisions such as Multi-sectoral Development Programme and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission);

(v) Measures for affirmative action (4 decisions such as Setting up of National Data Bank and Assessment & Monitoring Authority, etc);

(vi) Protection and Management of Waqf Properties (4 decisions); and

(vii) Miscellaneous (10 decisions such as Prevention of Communal Violence, Delimitation Act, Sensitization, Multi-Media campaign etc.).

Most of the decisions have already been implemented. The follow up action on remaining decisions is of on-going nature and are implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs as well as the other Ministries/Departments of the Government of India. Many new schemes are added every year for the welfare of minorities. While the Ministry of Minority Affairs implements various schemes, which are exclusively meant for minorities (Budget provision for the year 2015-16 being Rs. 3,738.11 crore), others implement their schemes from their own budget by either earmarking funds for minorities or for the minority concentration areas. Progress of all the schemes are monitored on regular basis by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Implementation of these schemes, oriented towards welfare of minorities, is definitely going to improve the socio-economic conditions of the minorities. However, the overall effect of the steps taken by the Government for improving the conditions of minorities would be known once the data of census 2011 becomes available.

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Assistance to Unemployed Youth Belonging to Minority Communities

National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC), a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Minority Affairs extends loans at concessional interest rates through State Channelising Agencies (SCAs) nominated by respective State Governments/UT Administrations, for self-employment and income generating ventures to eligible beneficiaries including unemployed youth belonging to notified minority communities. Minorities having annual family income upto Rs.6.00 lakh are eligible.

State-wise no. of beneficiaries extended loans for the last three years including current financial year.

Sr. No.	STATE	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 (up to 20.7.2015)
1	CHANDIGARH	7	-	21	-
2	CHHATISGARH	210	-	825	-
3	DELHI	9	-	-	-
4	GUJARAT	563	-	-	-
5	HARYANA	718	667	377	-
6	HIMACHAL PRADESH	160	368	580	-
7	JAMMU & KASHMIR	947	1579	2106	1030
8	KARNATAKA	-	1947	2105	-
9	KERALA	23188	16162	22624	2000
10	MAHARASHTRA	1649	-	1053	-
11	MIZORAM	-	-	211	-
12	NAGALAND	2749	849	2083	-
13	ODISHA	211	-	-	-
14	PUDUCHERRY	316	825	549	-
15	PUNJAB	737	738	1159	-
16	RAJASTHAN	1790	4,211	2275	666
17	TAMILNADU	16456	6854	14737	0
18	TRIPURA	570	948	1263	333
19	UTTRAKHAND	79	-	-	-
20	WEST BENGAL	51943	40818	56784	21667
Total		102,302	75,966	108,752	25,696