Nai Roshni Scheme - Govt Schemes

The Scheme for Minority Women's Leadership Development (Nai Roshni) was implemented in 2012-13. The Ministry of Minority Affairs is in charge of it.

It is a welfare programme aimed at developing minority women's confidence and empowering them via the provision of information and practises.

Nai Roshni Scheme Objectives

• The Nai Roshni Scheme is a government welfare programme that aims to provide minority women with information, basic skills. And this scheme is to assist them deal with government banks and other organisations at all levels.
• The plan has been adopted by NGOs, civil society organisations, and government agencies.
• Minority women can also apply for the programme online.
• The programme aids in the battle against societal stigmas such as poverty, which disproportionately affects women and children.
• It equips minority women with the tools they need to defend their rights and thrive economically, so building civil society.

For more government schemes that are important for UPSC, check the linked article.

Recommendations of the Study

• Taking up more awareness programmes about the scheme.
• Inclusion of women from the general category and such scheme provides for the selection of 25 non-minority women.
• Longer periods of training.
• Including training modules on laws protecting the interests of women.
• Including persons with disabilities in the training module.

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Training Modules under Nai Roshni

Advocacy for Social and Behavioral Change	Digital-Literacy
Educational Empowerment	Financial Systems
Health and Hygiene	Leadership of Women
Legal Rights to Women	Life Skills
Swachh Bharat

Nai Roshni Scheme Target Group

• The target group includes Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Zoroastrian (Parsi), and Jain women who have been notified under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
• The initiative, however, allows a mix of women from non-minority populations to make up no more than 25% of a project proposal in order to strengthen society's mosaic of plurality. In this way this scheme bring about solidarity and togetherness through their own efforts to improve their lot.
• The organisation should make an effort to recruit a diverse group of women from SCs, STs, and OBCs. This 25% category also includes women with disabilities and members of other communities.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Nai Roshni Scheme

• Trained women are utilizing their knowledge to help their families and neighbours in raising their essential demands and claims from various government authorities.

• The NITI Aayog undertook a research to assess the scheme's effects on minorities and to highlight challenges encountered during implementation.
• The study was conducted in Assam, West Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, and involved 15 districts, 30 blocks, 87 villages, and 27 NGOs.
• According to NITI Aayog, the bulk of the study's findings show that the programme has been well received by the majority of the public, and that it has aided in the development of confidence and leadership spirit in minority women.