India 2018

Welfare 561
ensuring an appropriate share for them in infrastructure development schemes,
(d) prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence. An important
aim of the new programme is to ensure that the benefits of various government
schemes for the underprivileged reach the disadvantaged sections of the
minority communities. In order to ensure that the benefits of these schemes
flow equitably to the minorities, the new programme envisages location of a
certain proportion of development projects in minority concentration areas. It
also provides that, wherever possible, 15 per cent of physical targets and financial
outlays under various schemes should be earmarked for minorities.
Scholarship Schemes for Minority Students
This Ministry is implementing following three scholarship schemes for the
educational empowerment ot students belonging to the notified minority
communities:- (i) pre-matric scholarship: (ii) Post-matric scholarship; and (iii)
merit-cum-means based scholarship
To improve transparency in scholarship schemes, a new and revamped
version of National Scholarship Portal was launched for various Ministries of
Government of India including Ministry of Minority Affairs for extending
scholarships during 2016-17. All the above three scholarship schemes of this
Ministry are on NSP 2.0 portal Tha scholarships are transferred in the bank
accounts of students in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. Wherever Aadhaar
numbers are available, the bank accounts of students are being limited and
transferred to such accounts.
(I) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme: The Pre-matric scholarship scheme to students
belonging to the Minority Communities was approved in 2008. It is a central
sector scheme with 100 per cent central funding. The student who secure 50
per cent marks in the previous examination and whose parents/guardians’
annual income does not exceed ` 1.00 lakh, are eligible for award of the Prematric
scholarship under the scheme. Under the scheme, 30 lakh fresh
scholarships are proposed to be awarded every year in addition to the renewals.
30 per cent of scholarships have been earmarked for girl students.
(ii) Post-Matric Scholarships Scheme: The scheme of Post-matric scholarship for
students belonging to the minority communities was launched in 2007. It is a
central sector scheme awarded for studies in India in a government higher
secondary school/college including residential government higher secondary
school/college and eligible private institues selected and notified in a
transparent manner by the state government/union territory Administration
concerned. Students who secure 50 per cent marks in the previous year's final
examination and whose parent/guardians annual income does not exceed
` 2.00 lakh are eligible for award of scholarship. Under the scheme, 5 lakh
fresh scholar ships are proposed to be awarded every year in addition to the
renewals. 30 per cent of scholarships have been earmarked for girl students. In
case sufficient numbers of girl students are not available then eligible boy
students are given these scholarships. 37.32 lakh fresh scholarships and
renewals were awarded during the Plan period (2012-17).