The Government implements various schemes for the welfare and upliftment of every strata, including minorities, specially the economically weaker and lesser privileged sections of the society, through various schemes of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Rural Development. Ministry of Minority Affairs specifically implements various schemes across the country for socio-economic and educational empowerment of the six (6) centrally notified minority communities.
Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), a total of 19 community infrastructure projects with total projects cost Rs. 129.93 Crore have been approved during the year 2020-21 to 2022-23 in the State of Kerala.
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) was restructured and implemented with effect from May, 2018, so as to reduce gaps, if any, in the socio-economic parameters in 1300 identified areas of the country. An evaluation study of PMJVK conducted by the NITI Aayog in the year 2020-2021, observed that the scheme was helpful in bridging the development deficit in the identified areas of the country and had contributed in up-gradation of school infrastructure, providing additional classrooms, new hostels, Community Health Centres (CHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), polytechnics, skill training centres, etc. The restructuring of the programme in the year 2018-19 has brought in significant improvement with a greater focus on women-centric projects. It was, inter alia, recommended by the NITI Aayog to increase coverage of the scheme, to ensure that projects should reach the minority communities across all States/UTs.
In the State of Kerala, 41 projects/ units have been approved under PMJVK during the last three years i.e. 2019-20 to 2021-22 and current year 2022-23. As per the information submitted by the State Government from time to time, 4 projects/ units have been completed and work is ongoing in 14 projects/units. Work has not started in 23 projects/ units.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today
