14-Mar-2023: Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
The Scheme of Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY), which is now being implemented as 'Adarsh Gram' component of the Scheme of Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY), has been designed with an area based approach, wherein villages having high density of Scheduled Castes (SCs) populations are taken up for holistic development. In order to cater to more SC population, the selection criteria for villages has been recently revised in 2022-23 from 'more than 50%' SC population to 'more than 40%'.
For such SC persons who are not residing in villages selected under the Adarsh Gram component of the Scheme of PM-AJAY, provisions are available under the other two components of this scheme, namely, 'Grants-in-aid' and 'Hostel' components, wherein central assistance is available for comprehensive livelihood projects, skill development as well as infrastructure including hostels, for persons belonging to Scheduled Castes.
21-Dec-2022: Implementation of 15 Points Programme for Minorities Welfare Schemes
The Minister of Minority Affairs, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today informed that Pre-Matric, Post Matric and Merit-cum Means based Scholarship Schemes for meritorious students from the notified minority communities are implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities .The merit list under Pre and Post Matric schemes is drawn on the basis of income rather than marks.
The Government has implemented various schemes for the welfare and upliftment of every strata, including minorities, specially the economically weaker and lesser privileged sections of the society, through various schemes of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Rural Development. Ministry of Minority Affairs has adopted multi-pronged strategy so as to enhance the employability of notified minorities viz. Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains.
The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs covered under the 15 Point Programme are exclusively meant for notified minorities. However, 15% of the outlays and targets, to the extent possible, of schemes/initiatives implemented by other participating Ministries/Departments are earmarked for notified minorities.
20-Dec-2022: Implementation of BJRCY
The Scheme of Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY) has been merged with two other schemes of the Department and provision for construction/repairs of hostels for Scheduled Caste (SC) students is one of the components of the merged scheme, namely Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyudaya Yojana (PM-AJAY). Funds are provisioned under the single budget head of PM-AJAY, for all its components, including for Hostels.
Under the erstwhile BJRCY, the department provided 100% funding for all girls hostels and for boys hostels proposed by UT Administrations; 50% for boys hostels proposed by State Governments and 90% for Central Institutions. To promote enrollment of SCs in schools and higher educational institutions by provisioning adequate residential facilities for students, 100% central assistance is now being provided under PM-AJAY for construction of all Hostels for SCs, irrespective of the gender of the inmates.