Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian has informed the Rajya Sabha that the government is implementing several schemes for the welfare of the minority communities, including the Sikh community.

In reply to supplementaries, the Minister said that Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram is being implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs with focused interventions in areas of education, health, skill and women empowerment in minority concerned pockets. He said, under the scheme, over 11 infrastructure assets have been sanctioned and about nine lakh units have been completed with a total sanctioned project cost of around 26 thousand 237 crore rupees.

He said, PM VIKAS, which converges five erstwhile schemes, namely ‘Seekho Aur Kamao’, ‘Nai Manzil’, ‘Nai Roshni’, ‘Hamari Dharohar’ and ‘USTTAD’, is also being implemented by the Ministry. He said the scheme focuses on imparting training to the youth, development of entrepreneurship and leadership and education support for school dropouts.

The Minister informed that in the last 11 years, 7 thousand 641 crore rupees have been disbursed under the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation to the beneficiaries.