Srinagar March 27:(KNS) Member Central Waqf Council & Chairperson Waqf Development Committee of Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, Govt of India Dr Darakhshan Andrabi today held a press briefing at New Delhi in which she presented a complete sketch of the welfare and empowerment schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. She was accompanied by CWC Member Haji Qari Haroon. Dr Andrabi informed that new initiatives taken by Central Waqf Council have resulted in the positive changes in the implementation of these schemes in the country. “Unlike our predecessors, we have focused on the welfare at the ground level so that the minorities in India are empowered educationally and economically. Minorities in India have been exploited for decades for political agendas but historical decisions of Modi Government are empowering these exploited minorities. MoMA under the guidance of the Minister Mr Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi works on a clear and transparent road map for minority welfare in India,” said Dr Darakhshan Andrabi.  She said that Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Post- Matric Scholarship Scheme, Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme,  Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) Scheme,  Free Coaching and Allied Scheme for the candidates / students belonging to Minority Communities, Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for Overseas Studies for the Student belonging to Minority Communities.  & Scheme Supporting Minority Students clearing Prelims conducted by UPSC, State Civil services are the potent tools for educational empowerment of minorities in India. “For the economic empowerment Central Government  is running Skill Development  Programme Seekho aur Kamao (Learn & Earn), Scheme for upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts & Crafts for Development, a  scheme to provide education and skill training to the youth from Minority Communities, and a scheme of  concessional credit through National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation exclusively for minorities. For infrastructural development of minorities Modi government’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakaram is also a significant initiative,” said Dr Darakhshan. She said that in addition to these schemes six special need programmes and three institutional grant schemes are also nationally implemented to improve the life standards of minorities in India. In reply to a question Dr Andrabi said that while devising these welfare programmes, our ministry has taken cue from Sachar Committee report. She said that statistics show that economic and educational improvement of minorities in India has been at the best during the past six years. “We don’t believe in sloganeering and verbal appeasement of minorities, but we work at the ground level and our work assessment reports speak louder than the sloganeering of our predecessors in government,” said Dr Andrabi.(KNS)