New Delhi: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said the “vehicle of development” was running fast on the “highway of trust” and the speed would further be accelerated in the next five years to ensure “happiness in the eyes and prosperity in lives of the nation's needy."

At a meeting of officials of the ministry at Antyodaya Bhawan, Naqvi took potshots at the negative politics of the Opposition. "We have to remain alert and cautious to ensure that there is no speed breaker or any obstacle on this highway of trust."

Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju was also present in the meeting.

Naqvi said that ensuring socio-economic-educational empowerment of Minorities through “3Es”- Education, Employment and Empowerment was the ministry's target.

He also said that the “Padho-Badho” campaign will be launched across the country to encourage education of minority girls. Educational infrastructure will be developed on war footing in those areas of the country where people don’t send their daughters to schools due to socio-economic reasons. 

The target was to provide “Pradhanmantri Scholarship” to 5 crore students in the next five years, which will include 50% girl students. The entire process of “Pradhanmatri Scholarship” has been made easier and transparent through the DBT mode.

Carrying forward the good work of the ministry, 100 “Hunar Haat” will be organised across the country to provide market and employment opportunities to master artisans. A system will also be developed to provide an online platform to master artisans to sell their hand-made “Swadeshi” (indigenous) products.

Naqvi said that employment-oriented skill development schemes such as “Seekho aur Kamao”, “Nai Manzil”, “Garib Nawaz Skill Development”, “Ustaad” will be made more effective to ensure skill development of 25 lakh youth in the next five years.

Naqvi also said that an awareness campaign will be launched across the country to make the people aware of various educational and skill development schemes of the Central government through 100 vans. Cultural programmes, street plays and short films will be a part of this awareness campaign.

The minister for minority affairs also said that “Pragati Panchayat” will be organised across the country where he will be present with senior officials of the Minority Affairs Ministry and officials of the state government concerned. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has developed “people friendly” 100% online system to ensure transparency in all the welfare schemes. This online system has eliminated the role of middlemen.  

Naqvi also added that soon zonal coordination meetings will be organised in Mumbai, Ranchi, Lucknow, Kerala where senior officials of the Minority Affairs Ministry and ministers and senior officials of various state governments will take stock of the effective implementation of welfare schemes.