DIMAPUR, MAY 3 (MExN): The Nagaland Government has created a Directorate of Minority Affairs under the Planning & Transformation Department to look after educational empowerment, economic empowerment, infrastructure development, special needs and support to institutions of minority communities.
A DIPR report stated that the functions and duties of the directorate would be to deal with schemes/ programmes that come under the Ministry of Minority Affairs (Gol).
On educational empowerment, it will look after scholarship schemes including pre- matric scholarship scheme; post-matric scholarship scheme, merit-cum- means based scholarship scheme, Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme, Nava Savera - free coaching and allied scheme for candidate students belonging to minority communities.
It will look after Padho Pardesh- scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans overseas studies for the students belonging to minority communities, Nai Udaan- support for minority students clearing prelims conducted by UPSC and State Public Service Commission's (PSCs) and Staff Selection Commission.
On economic empowerment, the directorate will deal with PM VIKAS Skilling and Training Component. This is a skilling initiative from MoMA focusing on the skilling. entrepreneurship and leadership training requirements of the minority and artisan communities across the country The scheme is intended to be implemented in convergence with the 'Skill India Mission' of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and through integration with the Skill India Portal (SIP).
It will also deal with Nai Manzil- a scheme to provide education and skill training to the youth from minority communities, concessional credit through National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC).
On the infrastructure development front, the directorate will look after the Pradhan Mantri Jan Yikas Karyakram (PMJVK), which is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Gol with the objective to develop infrastructure projects, which are community assets, in all districts of the country including all aspirational districts.
On special needs, the directorate will deal with Nai Roshni- a scheme for leadership development of minority women; Hamari Dharohar- a scheme to preserve rich heritage of minority communities of India under the overall concept of Indian culture, Jiyo Parsi- scheme for containing population decline of Parsis in India, Waqf Management, Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati- Shahari Waqf Sampatti Yikas Yojana and Haj Management.
The directorate will also provide support to institutions through corpus fund to Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF), Waqf to National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) and grants -in- aid scheme to state channelizing agencies of National Minorities’ Development & Finance Corporation.
