Direct Assistance to Unemployed Youths of Minorities

National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC), functioning under the aegis of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, extends loans to persons belonging to minority communities living below double the 

poverty line for undertaking self-employment and income generating activities.

Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha , Shri Vincent H. Pala, Minister of State for Minority Affairs, said that the target group of NMDFC includes persons belonging to minority communities viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis living below double the poverty line. At present families having annual income less than Rs.55,000/- in urban areas and less than Rs.40,000/- in rural areas are categorized as eligible. Term Loans are provided by NMDFC through the State Channelising Agencies (SCAs). Micro Credit is given to the eligible minorities, organized into Self Help Groups (SHGs), through non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the SCAs. NMDFC also supports promotional schemes like Vocational Training, Marketing Support and Mahila Samridhi Yojana through the SCAs as well as NGOs. 

Shri Pala further informed the House that since inception in 1994 up to 31st March, 2009, NMDFC has assisted 2,81,367 Muslim, 76,918 Christian, 11,663 Sikh, 1,219 Buddhist and 4 Parsi beneficiaries. From 1st April, 2009 till 30th June, 2011 a total of 3,34,707 beneficiaries belonging to these five minority communities were assisted. (PIB)