February 2

Focussed Implementation of Well Knitted Interlinked Initiatives Will Ensure ‘Sabka Saath;Sabka Vikas’-Dr.Najma Heptulla

‘Nai Manzil’ to Enabe Minority Youth to Seek Better Employment-Dr.Najma Heptulla 

Dr Najma Heptulla, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs said that the government is committed and focused on "Sabka Saath ; Sabka Vikas" through implementation of well knitted interlinked initiatives. Dr. Najma said going by the Nation priority, her ministry has taken many new initiatives to strengthen the efforts towards economic empowerment of minority through Skill Development and education.

Elaborating on new initiatives undertaken during last 20 months, Dr. Najma Heptullah informed that her Ministry formulated and launched a new scheme 'Nai Manzil' on 8th  August, 2015. The scheme will benefit the minority youths who do not have formal school leaving certificate, i.e., those in the category of school-dropouts or educated in the community education institutions like Madarsas, with a view to enabling them to seek better employment in the organised sector and thus to equip them for better lives. Scheme has been approved with the cost of Rs. 650 crore for the five years. The world Bank has approved the funding of US$ 50 million and recommended the scheme to countries in Africa faced with similar development challenges.

The Ministry explained that skills and crafts practiced by minority communities no more remain lucrative and became unattractive rendering these craftsmen to look for some other means of livelihood. She said to make these skills and crafts more profitable and another new ambitious initiative of the Government, "USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development)" was formally launched on 14th May, 2015 at Varanasi (U.P.). The scheme aims at capacity building and updating the traditional skills of master craftsmen and artisans. The scheme will also set standards for traditional skills. The trained master craftsmen/artisans will train the minority youth in various specific traditional arts/crafts.
To further support the initiative, artisans and craftsmen, Ministry has signed a MoU with an E-commerce portal shopclues.com for facilitating the market linkages of crafts, she added.

Ministry of Minority Affairs was created on 29th January 2006 for formulation of policies for welfare and socio-economic development of 6 (six) notified minority communities namely, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains, which constitute more than 19% of India’s population.


The other initiatives of the Ministry of Minority Affairs ,she briefed  and replied included  establishment of Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS), a special purpose vehicle, to address all skill development needs of minority communities, award of about 86 lakh Scholarships During 2014-15,  

 “Padho Pardesh”,  for providing interest subsidy on educational loans taken from Banks by minority students for higher studies abroad, unique initiative of “Hamari Dharohar” aimed at preservation of rich heritage and culture of minorities, by supporting curation of iconic exhibitions, calligraphy, preservation of old documents, research and development, restructured Multi-sectoral Development Programme or Jan Vikaas Karyakram, for area development programme ,  “Nai Roshni” for Leadership Development of Minority Women by providing knowledge, tools and techniques for interacting with Government systems, banks and intermediaries at all levels, concessional loans by National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation(NMDFC) for self-employment,activities and initiatives  of  the National Waqf Development Corporation (NAWADCO).

What is National Waqf Development Corporation ?
Waqf means a permanent dedication of a person professing Islam of any movable or immovable property for any purpose recognized by Muslim law as - auspicious, religious or charitable

Wakif is a person donating property. Once the property is donated the donor loses all the rights over the property and such property cannot be transferred, mortgaged, or alienated without permission of the Waqf board.
In 2007 there were reports from Kerala indicating many irregularities in transferring of Waqf land or properties to private parties. This resulted into huge loss to Indian exchequer amounting to 2 lakh crore rupees. To look into the issue government of India formed Sachar Committee.
Sachar Committee Recommendations:

• India has largest number of Waqf properties around 4.9 lakhs with approximate income from these properties to 163 crore rupees.
• If these properties are managed and developed properly could fetch around an income of 12000 crore rupees per annum.
• A national level institution should be developed to take care of Waqf properties for community welfare particularly of Muslim community.

National Waqf Development Corporation Limited is an Indian government agency under Ministry of Minority Affairs . This will undertake development of Waqf properties for the community welfare particularly for Muslims in India. The prime minister Man Mohan Singh unveiled it on 28 January 2014. It has been established as a follow up of the recommendations of Sachar committee report.It work in a joint venture with the States and UT's waqf boards and the Mutawallis. It will have the status of Central Public Sector Enterprises.

What is National Minorirties Development and Finance Corporation?
National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) was incorporated in September 1994 as a non profit company under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India to provide concessional finance for self-employment activities to eligible beneficiaries belonging to the minority communities, having a family income below double the poverty line.


After the establishment of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the administrative control of NMDFC directed into this ministry