Equitable Share to Minority Communities in Economic Activities and Employment

INVC,,

Delhi,,

To achieve the objectives of ensuring equitable share to minorities in economic activities and employment, National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC), under the aegis of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, has cumulatively disbursed Rs.585.35 crore of term loans and micro finance to 2.51 lakh beneficiaries since 2006-07. Rs. 197.74 crore were disbursed to 1.045 lakh beneficiaries in 2009-10. Ensuring equitable share to minorities in economic activities and employment is an important component of the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the welfare of minorities. Under it providing access to credit is an important component. To ensure this 1,759 bank branches have been opened in districts having a substantial minority population since 2007-08. During 2009-10, 699 bank branches were opened. Priority Sector Lending (PSL) for minorities, which stood at Rs.58,662.67 crore in 2007-08, has increased to Rs 1,08,850.89 crore in 2009-10. This represents 9.67% of the total PSL in 2007-08 and 12.64% in 2009-10. The target for minorities for the next 3 years has been fixed at 15% of total PSL.

Under the Free Coaching and Allied Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, which was revised and launched in 2006-07, a cumulative total of more than 15,000 students/candidates have benefited. During 2009-10, the achievement was 5,532 persons. The target for 2010-11 is 5,760.

Year

No. of students/ candidates

Amount sanctioned (Rs. In crore)

2007-08

4,097

5.74

2008-09

5,522

7.30

2009-10

5532

11.21

2010-11

5760

15.00

The recruitment of persons from minority communities in Ministries, public sector undertakings, public sector banks and financial institutions, railways, etc. has also increased from 12,182 in 2006-07 to 15,172 in 2008-09. This represents 6.92% of the total recruitment in 2006-07 and 9.09 in 2008-09 and 7.09% in 2009-10 (52 Ministries/ Departments).

Under the infrastructure for skill education component of the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the welfare of minorities 8 ITIs have been approved and 47 have been approved in-principle for construction and upgradation in Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) under Multi-sectoral Development Programme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Besides, 8 new Polytechnics have been approved in-principle for construction inMCDs. Under the new 15 Point Programme, 60 existing ITIs are being upgraded into Centres of Excellence.

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