New Delhi: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said that the Government led by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, is working with commitment to “inclusive growth”, which has ensured that all sections of the society including minorities are becoming an equal partner of the development process.
Addressing the “Vikas Samanvay Baithak” (development coordination conference) of 9 states and UTs, organised at “Tilak Hall”, Secretariat, Lucknow today, the Minister said that the Government has been working with commitment to “Empowerment without Appeasement” and “Development with Dignity” of all sections of the society and with the states. He added that most of the states have been working well regarding implementation of schemes meant for minorities. Other states should also follow the same. He added that the Ministry of Minority Affairs is working with commitment to welfare of Minorities through “3E – Education, Employment, Empowerment”.
“The Government has ensured that benefits of welfare schemes reach the needy directly through a transparent system”, the Minister said. He emphasized that the Minority Affairs Ministry has completely become online/digital. More than 280 Inspecting Authorities of the Ministry are working as the “watchdog” of various development and welfare schemes being run by the Ministry and they have ensured 100 per cent honest and transparent implementation of these schemes at the ground level.
The Minister said that Ministry’s initiative of Inspecting Authorities, which had been started about one year ago, has proved to be successful. Shri Naqvi said that these Inspecting Authorities include retired IAS, IPS and other senior officials, engineers, highly experienced people from defence services, education and other sectors. “They are immensely benefitting in proper implementation of the schemes run by Minority Affairs Ministry, National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation and Maulana Azad Education Foundation”, he said.
Outlining the achievements of the Ministry, Shri Naqvi said that 27 Gurukul-type residential schools have been constructed across the country. “During the last about 3 years, under the Multi Sectoral Development Programme, in the minority dominated areas, 10649 drinking water facilities, 32, 000 additional class rooms, 1, 817 school buildings, 15 degree colleges, 169 ITIs, 48 polytechnics, 248 multi-purpose community hall “Sadbhav Mandap”, 1064 hostels, 27 Gurukul type residential schools have been constructed for educational empowerment”, he said.
“During the last about 3 years, about 2 crore 42 lakh minority students have been provided various scholarships. This year, more than 1.5 crore students have applied for pre-matric, post-matric, merit-cum-means and other various scholarships given by the Ministry of Minority Affairs”, Shri Naqvi stated.
The Minister also said that “Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Centres” have been established in 100 districts across the country where various courses related to job-oriented skill development are being provided. Courses like “GST Facilitator” and “Sanitary Supervisor” are providing employment and employment opportunities to Minority youths in a large number. He added that schemes of the Minority Affairs Ministry such as “Hunar Haat”, “Seekho aur Kamao”, “Nai Manzil”, “Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Scheme”, “Nai Roshni” have proved to be an important step towards the skill development of minorities. “In last about 3 years, these schemes have succeeded in providing employment and employment opportunities to more than 8.5 lakh people from minority communities”, he pointed out.
The Minister underlined that during the last one year, “Hunar Haat” has been successful in providing employment and employment opportunities to more than 3 lakh artisans and other people associated with them. He pointed out that proper implementation of various schemes of the Ministry from skill development to educational empowerment to scholarships like “Gharib Nawaz Skill Development Scheme”, “Seekho aur Kamao”, “Nai Manzil”, “Begum Hazrat Mahal Girls scholarship”, “Nai Udaan”, “Padho Pardesh”, “Free Coaching”, “Ustaad”, “PM’s new 15 point programme” etc has been ensured with the cooperation of these Inspecting Authorities.
Shri Naqvi said that the minorities are also becoming an equal partner of the country’s development process. “Participation of minorities in Central Government jobs, which was about 5 percent in 2014, has gone up to 10 percent in 2017. In this year’s Civil Services exam, about 125 Minority youth have been selected, out of which 52 are from Muslim community”, he averred.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Dr Virendra Kumar said that the youth has a crucial role to play in the field of development. He added that the conference will provide a platform to share experiences.
Besides Minority Affairs Ministers, Social Welfare Ministers, concerned Secretaries and other senior officials from Punjab, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana. Such meetings are planned to be organised in Kolkata and Mumbai in the coming months.
