1. A provision of Rs 1,26,259 crore has been made in the annual budget for 2021-22, which is about 52% more than the previous year.

2.  Post matric scholarship for SC students

• The government has completely strengthened the post-matriculation scholarship scheme for scheduled castes.
• The funding pattern under this scheme has been changed from Committed Liability Formula to 60:40 pattern between the Center and the States.
• Under this initiative about 4 crore students will be benefitted by 2025-26 and a total expenditure of Rs.60,000 crore is estimated for this with the Center’s participation being 60%.
• The Government has introduced several reforms to avoid delays in payment of scholarships using the DBT system.

3. Scheme of Residential Education for High School Students in Target Area (SRESHTHA)

• The government is going to launch a scheme named “Scheme of Residential Education for Students in High School in Targeted Area” (SRESHTA) to provide higher level education from class 9th to 12th in best schools to brighten up scheduled caste boys and girls. The cost of their education will be met under the scheme.

• This is an already ongoing Central Sector Scheme named as SHRESHTHA with modifications and proposed to be continued for the next five years. Earlier this scheme was known as ‘Grant-in-aid to voluntary and other organizations working for Scheduled Castes’.

4.  Pradhan Mantri Scheduled Caste Abhyudaya Yojana (PM-AJAY)

• In order to make optimum use of resources and improve the implementation framework, Pradhan Mantri Scheduled Caste Abhyudaya Yojana (PM-AJAY) has been extended to three existing schemes of the Ministry namely Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCA for SCSP), Pradhan Mantri Adarsh ​​Gram Yojana (PMAGY) and Babu Jagjivan Ram Hostel Scheme (BJRCY) have been prepared by merging and strengthening them.
• As a model village by providing 50 basic amenities and services covering infrastructure, access to government schemes and economic benefits to about 27000 villages with more than 50% SC population under Pradhan Mantri Adarsh ​​Gram Yojana (PMAGY) is being developed.
• At present there is no uniform definition for BPL and comprehensive coverage. Families earning less than Rs 2.5 lakh per annum will be eligible for individual based funding.
• For more attractive and employable schemes, a subsidy of up to Rs. 50000 is proposed to be given, which is currently up to Rs. 10000.
• Selection and implementation of schemes for holistic development on the basis of identified needs.
• A provision of Rs.10200 crore is being made by 2025-26.

5. Pradhan Mantri Kaushalya and Kaushal Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana (PM-Daksh)

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushalya and Kaushal Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana (PM-Daksh) was launched during the year 2020-21 by strengthening and rationalizing the skill development components under various schemes of the Ministry and Corporations.
• The scheme is being implemented through the Corporations of the Ministry, including the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC).
• It aims to improve the overall competence and acumen of artisans including SCs through vocational training to improve their income generating capabilities and make them employable.
• The scheme endeavors to encourage self-employment, especially for youth, through long-term training and specialization in employable vocations.
• The following types of training/courses are run under PM-Daksh scheme:
• Upskilling/Recognition of Prior Learning
• Short term training (focused on wage/self-employment)
• Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP)
• Long Term Courses (Focused on Wage/Self-Employment)

6. Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission (Aseem)

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Mission (ASIIM) under Venture Capital Fund for SCs with a view to promoting innovation and enterprise among SC students studying in higher educational institutions.
• To support (1,000) innovative ideas till 2024 through a synergetic work with the Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) set up by Department of Science and Technology;  
• So far 6 projects have been selected during 2020-21.

7.  National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE)

• A “National Action Plan” has been prepared in consultation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation to eliminate manual cleaning of sewer systems and septic tanks and to rehabilitate workers engaged in manual cleaning.

• . The intervention to promote mechanized cleaning will be through the ongoing SUY (swacchta Udyami Yojan), a loan scheme implemented by the NSKFDC.

• “Swachhta Udyami Yojana” is for providing financial assistance for construction, operation and maintenance of community toilets and purchase and operation of sanitation related vehicles in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

• The dual objective of this scheme is to provide livelihood to the sanitation and scavengers and to free the manual scavengers to achieve the overall goal of “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

8.  Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatravas Yojana

• This scheme of construction of hostels for Scheduled Caste (SC) students is one of the means to enable and encourage Scheduled Caste (SC) children/students to get quality education.

• 100% central assistance is provided to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations and Central and State Universities/Institutes. (Girls Hostel)

• 50% central assistance is provided to the State Governments on the basis of matching share. (Boys Hostel)

• 2020-21 = 27.07 crores spent, 12 hostels built, 950 students

9.  SC Scholarship for Higher Education (National Fellowship for SC, Free Coaching for SC, Foreign Scholarship) – 450 Crore (2021-22)

10.  Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes

•  Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes has been started with a corpus of Rs 444 crore to promote financial entrepreneurship among the Scheduled Castes and to increase direct and indirect employment for the Scheduled Caste population in India. Approved grants have been given to 118 companies in 2020-21.

11.  Panchteerth

The Modi government has developed five places related to the life of Dr. Ambedkar. “Panchteerth” includes the birthplace of Ambedkar in Mhow, the place in London where he stayed while studying in the UK, the ‘Diksha Bhoomi’ in Nagpur where he took education and the ‘Mahaparinirvana Sthal’ in Delhi and the ‘Chaitya Bhoomi’ in Mumbai.

12.  Stand Up india

• Stand Up India scheme facilitates bank loan between 10 lakh to 1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe, borrower and at least one woman per bank branch to set up a greenfield enterprise. This enterprise may be in the manufacturing, services or trading sector. In case of non-individual enterprises, at least 51% shareholding and controlling stake should be held by any SC/ST or women entrepreneur.

• Total applications received – 129887

•  Approved application – 112154 —— 25114.66 crore