PM’s 15-point programme: Ensuring equal opportunities for minorities

New Delhi, Mar 17: The Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities, introduced in 2006, continues to play a crucial role in ensuring equal access for underprivileged and weaker sections of six centrally recognised minority communities to various government welfare schemes.

Administered by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the initiative aims to foster socio-economic development by earmarking resources and opportunities for minority groups.

Key Features of the Programme

The 15-Point Programme integrates multiple schemes from various ministries to support minority communities. While some schemes are exclusive to minorities, others allocate 15% of their resources to them. These initiatives span key sectors such as education, employment, housing, healthcare, and financial inclusion.

Schemes under the 15-Point Programme are initiatives from multiple government ministries, such as:

Education and Skill Development

 Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme

 Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme

 Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme

 Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan (Ministry of Education)

Employment and Financial Support

 National Minorities Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC) Loan Schemes

 Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY-NRLM) (Ministry of Rural Development)

 Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana (Ministry of Rural Development)

 Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (Department of Financial Services)

Housing and Livelihoods

 Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Ministry of Rural Development)

 Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs)

Health and Nutrition

 POSHAN Abhiyaan (Ministry of Women & Child Development)

 National Health Mission (Department of Health & Family Welfare)

 Ayushman Bharat (Department of Health & Family Welfare)

Infrastructure and Basic Services

 National Rural Drinking Water Programme (Jal Jeevan Mission) (Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation)

The Ministry of Minority Affairs acts as the nodal body, coordinating with participating ministries to ensure effective implementation and progress tracking. Efforts are ongoing to achieve “saturation levels,” ensuring that no eligible beneficiary is left out. Many initiatives have now become mainstream in their outreach and coverage. This information was given by the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs & Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today. As per Union Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju, no modifications are currently proposed for the programme, which continues to focus on ensuring that minority communities gain full access to the benefits of these initiatives.