Minority ministry claims to have benefited minorities from 308 districts and over 2.66 crore student

New Delhi, July 16: In an initiative to help minority communities, Union minority works department claims to have started a campaign on war-footing to provide basic amenities to ensure educational empowerment of girls belonging to minority communities in 308 districts across the country.

Around 2.66 crore students belonging to weaker sections have been benefited from scholarships. More than 5 lakh 43 thousand youths have been provided employment opportunities through job-oriented schemes.

Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that for the first time after Independence any such thing is happening in the country. The minister was addressing National Conference of principal secretaries, secretaries in-charge of states and union territories dealing with minority affairs. Naqvi said that the government is providing school, college, polytechnic, girls hostel, ITI, skill development centre etc under 'Pradhanmantri Jan Vikas Karykram' in those 'backward and ignored' areas which had been deprived of these facilities since the Independence.

Naqvi said that the lack of such facilities was the reason behind low literacy rate among Minorities especially Muslim girls. In the past 4 years, under MsDP, 16 Degree Colleges, 2019 School Building, 37,267 Additional Classrooms, 1141 Hostels, 170 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), 48 Polytechnics, 38,736 Anganwadi Centres, 3,48,624 lAY(PMAY) houses, 340 Sadbhavna Mandaps, 67 Residential Schools, 436 Market sheds, 4436 Health Projects have been constructed by the Government. This has led to significant improvement in lives of weaker sections, minorities especially women.

Naqvi said that 80 per cent resources under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) have been earmarked for projects related to education, health and skill development. Around 33 to 40 per cent of resources under the PMJVK have been specifically allocated for women centric projects. The revised scheme is further leading to lessening of the gap between the national average and the minority communities with regard to backwardness parameters.

Earlier only such cluster of villages were taken that had at least 50 per cent minority population which has been lowered to 25 per cent with the commitment to 'inclusive growth'. Inclusion of Minority Concentration District Headquarters along with the Minority Concentration Towns having population more than 25,000, Minority Concentration Blocks and Cluster of Villages as per Census, 2011 data, has extended the coverage of population of minority communities.

Under the PMJVK, land of state government, state government bodies, land of other organisations such as security organizations, waqf, gram panchayat can also be utilised for various educational, skill development projects. Naqvi said that the state governments have equal responsibility to ensure better and effective implementation and success of PMJVK.

Naqvi said that during last 4 years, 2 crore 66 lakh students belonging to poor and weaker sections of minorities have been benefited from various scholarships. More than 5 lakh 43 thousand youths have been provided employment and employment opportunities through job-oriented skill development schemes such as 'seekho aur kamao', 'Usttad', Garib Nawaz Kaushal Vikas Yojana", "Nai Manzil" etc. "Nai Roushni", "Begum Hazrat Mahal Girls scholarships" etc have benefitted 1 crore 21 lakh girls and women.