Prelims: Current events of national importance | Polity and Governance
Why in News?
Recently, The Ministry of Minority Affairs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Patna under the PM VIKAS Scheme.
- Aim – To build the capacity of minority communities through modern and traditional skilling, education, entrepreneurship, and cultural heritage preservation, ensuring sustainable livelihoods and inclusive growth.
- Type – Central Sector Scheme.
- Launched in – 2024
- Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA).
- Implementing Agency
- Minority community institutions
- Industry bodies with placement linkages
- Central/State institutions, PSUs, universities, institutions of national importance
- Integration of schemes - It integrates 5 earlier livelihood schemes — Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni, and Nai Manzil.
- Objectives - Provide targeted skill training and employment opportunities.
- Preserve and promote cultural heritage, including Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
- Offer formal education and certification to school dropouts (Classes 8, 10, 12).
- Empower minority women through leadership and entrepreneurship support.
- Improve employability via market and credit linkages.
- Eligibility and Identification
- Indian nationals from notified minority communities (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis).
- Aadhaar + Aadhaar‑linked bank account mandatory.
- Age – 14–45 years (skilling/education); 18–45 years (women leadership).
- Reservation – 33% women (skilling), 50% women (education), 100% women (leadership).
- 3% seats reserved for PwDs – Limited inclusion of EWS non‑minorities (25% in traditional, 15% in other components).
- Coverage – Pan‑India implementation through convergence with Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) infrastructure and partnerships with IITs, NITs, CSIR institutes, and state agencies.
- Features
- Skilling – (National Skills Qualifications Framework) NSQF‑aligned training for both traditional crafts and modern sectors, ensuring placement‑linked outcomes.
- Education – Bridge programmes via the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for school dropouts with certification up to Class 12 and a 40% pass‑rate target.
- Women Empowerment – Leadership and entrepreneurship training with Biz Sakhis mentoring, career counselling, and enterprise support.
- Infrastructure – Convergence with PMJVK community assets; new infrastructure only where gaps exist or augmentation is required.
- Employment – Placement target of 75% beneficiaries, with at least 50% in the organized sector; self‑employment allowed in informal trades.
- Cultural Preservation – Documentation, GI tagging, cultural tourism, and minority “Parvs” to showcase and sustain Intangible Cultural Heritage.
References
- PIB | PM VIKAS
- PM VIKAS | Minority Affairs
