New schemes for minorities yielding results: Najma Heptulla
By andalib akhter /NEW DELHI
UInion Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting Arun Jaitley has said that the Centre is committed to advance the cause of minorities and other disadvantaged section of society.
He said that the government was working on the premise that these sections need to grow and grow uniformly and striving to bring uniformity to the extent possible.
Jaitely was delivering Annual Lecture of NCM on ‘’Economic empowerment of Minorities’’here today. Jaitley said that higher growth rate impacts all but there are areas where certain minorities lag behind and those areas need to be addressed.
Post 1991, improvement in conditions of deprived sections of the society has been faster compared to pre 1991 period but not uniform, he added. Education is the key to improve their condition faster and uniformly and conversion of skills in to opportunities is another means to achieve it, he added.
The government has set a target of disbursing one lakh and 80 thousand crore rupees loan to the weaker and under-preveliged section of the society under Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana for 2016-17.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stated this while addressing the 8th Annual Lecture of National Commission of Minorities on Economic Empowerment of Minorities in New Delhi today.He said the target is 50 per cent higher than that of 2015-16.
He said, those who have benefited from the scheme are mostly from the weaker section and minority community particularly the women.He said, so far, 2 crore entrepreneurs have availed loan through the scheme for starting their business.
He said, till March 22 this year, 38 lakh and 63 thousand accounts of minorites have been opened under MUDRA Yojana.
Mr Jaitley said, government is committed to advancing the cause of minorities and other disadvantaged groups. He said government’s philosophy is to increase targeted assistance as well as to provide generalized opportunities so that all communities could avail benefit.
Mr Jaitley also said, the government has increased the allocation by 25 per cent for various educational schemes for minorities during the current fiscal than 2014-15.
Speaking on the occasion Union Minister for Minority Affairs Dr. Najma Heptulla said that the effective implementation of schemes and ensuring uniformity in development are the two guiding principles for “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”.
The Minority Affairs Ministry is focusing on implementing the schemes for six notified minorities to make difference on ground.
“To address the the micro level deficiencies in development, the Ministry is emphasing on education, skill development and dispelling social alienation of minorities specially muslims. Appreciating support from the FM and PM to her Ministry schemes”, Dr. Najma said adding that Nai Manzil and Hamari Dharohar schemes launched during this government are being received well and have started yielding results.