New Delhi, Jul 21: Eight years after the Centre launched the Prime Minister's 15-point programme for welfare of minorities, some of the key schemes are yet to see the desired results, with many states/ union territories listing zero beneficiaries.
Citing data on the allocation of funds by the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC), the ministry has told parliament that as many as nine states/ union territories did not provide assistance to any minority entrepreneurs in 2013-14 under the term loan scheme. This is a part of the 15-point programme.
Under the term loan scheme, NMDFC disburses loans through designated state channelling agencies to support self employment and for income generation projects of up to Rs 10 lakh. Loans covering up to 90 per cent of the project cost are given at an interest rate of 6 per cent per annum. The nine states/UTs that did not give any term loans are Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Orissa and Tripura.
Data for the last three years also shows that many states are irregular in doling out money for self-help groups, especially to minority women, also funded by the NMFDC. In 2013-14, no loans were granted under the microfinance scheme in Assam, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Orissa.
Over the last three years, Gujarat granted loans under this scheme only in 2012-13, to 89 people. In contrast, Tamil Nadu gave loans to 14,666 people and West Bengal to 44,889 people under the scheme in the same year.
In 2013-14, 15 states/ union territories listed zero beneficiaries under the free coaching and allied scheme for minority students. Under this scheme, assistance is provided to candidates belonging to minority communities who are appearing for competitive examinations — for government service, private sector or admissions to reputed institutes. The 15 states/ union territories are Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry.
The data for urban employment of minorities is equally dismal. In 2013-14, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan did not give employment to anybody under the Swarn Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana, which is also a part of the 15-point programme, though they had to meet a target of 1,004 and 915 beneficiaries respectively.
In yet another scheme under the programme, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, 13 states/ union territories did not sanction any projects last year for towns/ cities having a substantial minority population. These are
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Pondicherry, Sikkim, Tripura and Mizoram.
Report Card for 2013-14
9 states/ UTs did not give any loans under term loan scheme
6 states/ UTs did not give any loans under microfinance scheme
15 states/ UTs did not enroll anyone for free coaching/ allied scheme
2 states/ UTs did not grant any employment under Swarn Jayanti Shahri Rozgar Yojana
13 states/ UTs did not sanction any JNNURM projects for minority areas
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