by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Ravi Shankar Prasad
New Delhi : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the provision of 70 lakh scholarships to students from the minority communities under its pre-matric, post-matric and merit-cum-means based schemes till the year 2020.
Union Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad told a media conference that under the three schemes, the government provided 60 lakh scholarships to students of this category during 2017-18.
“To meet the next target of 70 lakh scholarships, the total expenditure is going to be Rs 5,338.32 crore,” he said.
The Minister also said that technology is being used in transferring scholarships directly to the accounts of the beneficiaries to avoid duplication and other problems.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved a proposal for the renaming and restructuring of the Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) of the Ministry of Minority Affairs as “Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram” (PMJVK).
The CCEA also approved its continuation for the remaining period of the 14th Finance Commission — until March 31, 2020.
The government said the funding of the scheme, estimated to be around Rs 3,972 crore for three years, would be from the budgetary provision of the ministry.
Briefing reporters here after the Cabinet meeting, Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the restructured programme would have more flexibility and better geographic reach.
“The Cabinet has approved far-reaching changes for the benefit of minority communities.”
He said the restructured programme would provide better socio-economic infrastructure facilities to the minorities, particularly in the fields of education, health and skill development.
The criteria for identification of minority concentration towns (MCTs) and clusters of villages has also been rationalised by lowering the population percentage criterion for minority communities, he added.
“Earlier only those towns which were found backward in terms of both in basic amenities and socio-economic parameters were taken up as MCTs. Now, the towns found backward in either or both of the criteria have been taken up as MCTs,” an official statement said.
Earlier only the cluster of villages having at least 50 per cent population of minority community were taken whereas now the population criterion has been lowered to 25 per cent, it added.
“These rationalisation of criteria would facilitate the inclusive growth of communities and social harmony. The area to be covered under the PMJVK would be 57 per cent more as compared to the existing MsDP,” it said.
The MsDP covered 196 districts of the country whereas the PMJVK will cover 308.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : The Central government is following a policy of empowerment and not appeasement towards the minority communities, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Monday.
In his address to a joint sitting of Parliament on the first day of the Budget Session, Kovind said the Narendra Modi government had a policy of “tushtikaran nahi, sashaktikaran” (empowerment not appeasement) towards the minority communities.
He said government programmes like “Seekho aur Kamao”, “Ustad”, “Garib Nawaz Kaushal Vikas” and others are providing employment opportunities to the youth of minority communities like Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains.
He also mentioned that for the first time, women above 45 years of age were allowed to go for the Haj pilgrimage without a male escort and added that 1,300 women went for Haj this year without escorts.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Economy, Entrepreneurship, Markets, News, Politics, Startup Basics
Hunar Haat
Puducherry : The central government is preparing a data bank of artisans and will also provide them with relevant training to facilitate their access to national and international markets, Union Minority Affairs Ministry Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here on Sunday.
A web portal has been prepared to provide national and international markets to artisans and craftsmen from across the country, he said while inaugurating ‘Hunar Haat’ organised by his Ministry with the aim to encourage master artisans from poor sections of the minority communities.
He said that a data bank of artisans will be prepared by year end and thousands from across the country have already registered.
Besides, he said, the Ministry is working to establish ‘Hunar Hubs’ across the country to provide a platform to artisans to display as well as sell their products.
“Encouragement to talent and skill development will be an essential part of the vision of ‘New India’,” Naqvi said.
The ‘Hunar Haat’ is being organised at Craft Bazaar, Gandhi Thidal Beach, Goubert Avenue here and will continue till September 30.
Artisans from 16 states are showcasing their wares including Hyderabad pearl, wrought iron and wood carving, wooden and sandalwood items, handmade jewellery, hand embroidery items, handmade paintings, wooden toys and mementos, printed dresses, sarees and other handicraft and handloom items at the event.
Visitors can also enjoy regional food as culinary experts from various states are also participating.
Recently, the Ministry had organised a similar event in New Delhi and plans to replicate it in other cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Allahabad, Ranchi, Guwahati, Jaipur and Bhopal among others.
Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and Puducherry MP R. Radhakrishnan were also present at the inauguration.
—IANS
