Financial and Physical Achievements of the Ministry of Minority Affairs during 11th Plan and Financial Year 2011-12

The Minister of Minority Affairs, Shri Salman Khurshid, here today dwelt extensively upon the achievements of his Ministry while addressing a Press Conference. He highlighted the fact that not only his Ministry but various other Ministries of the Government of India are engaged in the welfare of the Minorities, especially under the Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme for the welfare of Minorities. Following are the highlights of the Financial and Physical achievements of the Ministry of Minority Affairs during 11^th Five Year Plan and FY 2011-12 that Shri Khurshid spoke about:

During 11^th Five Year Plan, the Ministry concentrated on a four-pronged strategy for welfare of minority communities consisting of Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Parsis:

Ø      Educational empowerment

Ø      Area Development

Ø      Economic empowerment

Ø      Strengthening of Institutions

Educational Empowerment

           

Under Educational Empowerment, the Ministry implemented six schemes :

i)        Pre-matric scholarship scheme;

ii)       Post-matric scholarship scheme;

iii)     Merit-cum-Means scholarship scheme;

iv)    Maulana Azad National Fellowship;

v)      Free coaching & allied scheme; and

vi)    MAEF Scholarship scheme for meritorious girls of class XI and XII.

• During 11^th Plan, the Ministry awarded 1,42,12,655 scholarships as against a target of 93,37,539.
• In 2011-12, in Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, against a target of 34 lakhs, 51.28 lakhscholarships were awarded at an expenditure of Rs. 616.16 crores.
• In Post-matric Scholarships, against a target of 5.25 lakhs, 7.02 lakh scholarships were awarded.
• In Merit-cum-Means, apart from fixed quota of 20,000 fresh scholarships, 22,971 renewals were done which is all-time high.
• In Maulana Azad National Fellowship, the requisite 755 new scholarships were awarded in 2011-12 and 1,511 renewals were done which is double the number of last year.
• Under Free Coaching and Allied Schemes, during 2011-12, Rs. 15.98 crores has been utilized out of the allocation of Rs. 16 crores benefiting 7,340 candidates as against the target of 6,000.  It may be mentioned that against the target of 24,760 during the 11^th Plan period, 27,326 candidates benefited under this scheme at a cost of Rs. 54.61 crores.
• Thus, the scholarship schemes were a huge success.  1,42,12,655 scholarships were awarded during the 11^th Plan against the target of 93,37,539 and with a total cost of Rs. 2,709.55  crores (including MAEF scholarships).

Area Development

• Under the Area Development programme, Ministry took up schemes for infrastructure development in 90 identified minority concentrated districts (MCDs) for multi-sectoral development. 
• Against the 11^th Plan allocation of Rs. 2,750 crores, Rs. 2,941.60 crores were spent for building schools, additional class rooms, hostels particularly for girls hostels, ITIs, polytechnics, IAY houses, health centres, anganwadis, drinking water facilities etc.
• During 11^th Plan, 3,01,556 IAY houses, 27,797 Anganwadis, 696 schools, 13,825 additional class rooms, 332 hostels, 34,553 drinking water facilities, 2,624 health centres, 71 ITIs and 31 polytechnics were sanctioned for 90 districts.

Economic Empowerment

Under Economic Empowerment programme, the Ministry concentrated on improving access of minority communities to credit markets.

• During the 11^th Plan period, Priority Sector Lending (PSL) by nationalized banks increased from 10.60% in 2007-08 to 14.83% in 2011-12.  The 11^th Plan target was 15% which is almost achieved.  The total PSL to minorities up to 31^st December, 2011 has been Rs. 1,54,789.90 crores.  3,236 new bank branches were opened in the minority areas.  The National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) disbursed loan amounting to Rs. 977.21 crores benefiting 4,67,909 minority beneficiaries.  So far as employment of minority candidates in Central Government Ministries/PSUs is concerned, the percentage has gone up from 6.93% in 2006-07 to 11.99% in 2010-11.  The figure of 2010-11 covers 70 Ministries only and hence, not complete.  However, the trend is steady and appreciable increase. 
• So far as access to employment through training is concerned, during 11^th Plan, 16,431 minority candidates have been given vocational training by NMDFC.
• 71 ITIs and 31 polytechnics have been sanctioned by the Ministry during the 11^thPlan.

Strengthening of Institutions

• During the 11^th Plan, Government has contributed Rs. 500 crores towards the Government equity in NMDFC and Rs. 550 crores towards the corpus of MAEF.

Major achievements of 11^th Five Year Plan:

• 4.5% Reservation for Minorities in Government jobs and admissions;
• Scholarships to more that 1.42 crore students;
• Priority Sector lending increased from 10.60% to 14.83%;
• Percentage of recruitment of minority increased from 6.93% to 11.99%;
• PM’s New 15 Point Programme was operationalised;
• Creation of National Data Bank;
• Constitution of Assessment and Monitoring Aurhority (AMA);
• Corpus of MAEF increased from Rs. 200 crores to Rs. 750 crores and the Government equity of NMDFC increased from Rs. 375 crores to Rs. 875 crores;
• Constitution of Equal Opportunity Commission (in progress); and
• Restructuring of National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) (in progress).

Source : Press Information Bureau