New Delhi: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said that India has become a “role model” for “Inclusive Growth and Positive Progress” for the entire world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While inaugurating the Silver Jubilee Function and the annual conference of State Channelising Agencies of National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) in New Delhi today, Naqvi said that India is heaven for Minorities while Pakistan has proved to be hell for Minorities.
Naqvi said that the Government has been working on war-footing to provide quality and affordable education, employment oriented skill development and basic infrastructure to every needy of the society. Priority of the Government is to provide affordable and quality education to all the needy sections of the society including Minorities and their economic empowerment through employment oriented skill development.
He further said that easy loans worth Rs 3000 crore have been provided in the last 5 years by NMDFC to more than 8 lakhs 30 thousand beneficiaries for various stand up, start-up and other various economic activities.
Naqvi said that from the first day of the Modi Government-2, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has been working effectively for educational and economic empowerment of Minorities. Under the programme to connect Madrasas with mainstream education system, about 150 teachers from Madrasas from various states have been trained by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. More than 10 lakh students from six notified Minority communities- Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, Christian, Sikh and Muslims- have been given pre-matric, post-matric, merit-cum-means and other scholarships.
The Minister said that we will provide scholarships to 5 crore students in the next 5 years. During the last 5 years, scholarships had been provided to more than 3 crore 18 lakh students belonging to Minority communities which included about 60 per cent girl students.
Naqvi said that under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karykram (PMJVK), during the last 5 years; 26 Degree Colleges, 1152 School Buildings, 40,252 Additional Classrooms, 506 Hostels, 71 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), 52 Polytechnics, 39,602 Anganwadi Centres, 411 Sadbhavna Mandaps, 95 Residential Schools, 530 Market etc. have been constructed by the Government in the Minority concentrated areas across the country.
During the event one more State Channelising partner was added for implementation of NMDFC programme in Goa. MOUs were also signed between NMDFC and SCAs of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Kerala and other State Channelising Agencies.
Naqvi released special edition of magazine of NMDFC “Yadeen” which highlights the journey and growth of NMDFC over the years to serve the target group better. A compilation of real life success stories “Sapno Ko Pankh” was also released during the inaugural function, wherein stories of persons, who with small loans setup larger business ventures and have now become employers.