Nai Roshni

Nai Roshni is a scheme for developing the leadership skills of minority women. The program aims at instilling confidence among women belonging to the minority sections of the society. This scheme will help them to interact better with Government departments and systems, financial institutions, banks across all levels. Nai Roshni also aims to embolden women and help them to move out from the confines of their homes and communities. One of the main thrust areas is to train women of the minority sections and make them fit enough to take leadership roles and also assert their rights. This will help them to get the due share of various government schemes that could lead to the improvement of living conditions. It also aims at improving the economic empowerment of these women.

The Target Group

The target group includes all those minorities who have been notified under Section 2 (c) of The National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. (Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Christian, Parsis and Jain) To further strengthen the overall canvas of plurality of the society, the act also permits women from non-minority communities to be a part of the above scheme. However, the number of non-minorities should not exceed 25% of the project proposal. The mix should consist of SCs/STs/OBCs and also women with disabilities. Efforts also will be on to bring EWRs (Elected Women Representatives) from any community to be included in this scheme as trainees.

Eligible Organisations

Under the Nai Roshni initiative, organisations are eligible for Grants-in-Aid. The following are the eligible organisations:

A society that is registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
Non-Profit Private Limited Companies registered under Sec 25 of The Indian Companies Act.
Public Trust that is registered under the respective law that is in force at various times.
UGC (University Grants Commission) recognised Institutions and Universities.
Central and State Government Training Institutes and Union Territories including Training Institutes under the Panchayati Raj.
Cooperative Societies belonging to women and self-help groups that are duly registered.
Channelising Agencies of State Government.

Project Implementation

The Ministry of Minority Affairs shall do the leadership training program through the various organisations mentioned above. The respective organisations will be allowed to implement the projects directly making use of their organisational set-up in the village/locality. The responsibility of implementing the various projects under Nai Roshni would be with the organisation that has been assigned the work.

Various Leadership Training Modules

The training modules would cover various issues related to:

Leadership of women.
Social & Behavioral change-related modules.
Modules on the legal rights of women.
Life skill modules.
Health & Hygiene modules.
Modules covering educational empowerment.
Food safety & nutrition.
Right to Information.
Digital India
Economic empowerment of women.
Women and drudgery.
Modules pertaining to violence against women and girls.
Modules introducing minority to women to various government mechanisms.

There are two types of training in village/urban locality. They are residential and non-residential The training modules mentioned above will provide a basic framework. However, organisations are free to conduct training modules that are specific to local issues and needs. The training inputs should be given to the participants in short phases to keep interest on. The training modules should also make use of audio-visual aids for making it interesting and understandable.

Activities to Be Carried Out By the Organisations

Here are lists of various activities to be carried out by the organisations:

Selection of urban localities and villages having a significant percentage of the minority population.
Identification of women for the training and selection criteria. This process should involve the Head of the Gram Panchayat/Local Authorities and Municipal Bodies.
Though there is no annual income bar, preference will be given the women, parents or guardians of minority women who have an annual income not exceeding Rs.2.50 lakh from all sources. The age limit is between 18 years and 65 years.
It is the responsibility of organisations to collect Aadhar numbers for all women who are being enrolled under this scheme. If needed, the organisations should help the women in getting the Aadhar number details from the District Magistrate/District Collectors or other such organisation
It is the responsibility of the organisations to collect the mobile numbers or other contact details of the minority women selected for training under Nai Roshni. The relevant bank details with IFSC code should also be collected.

Types of Training

There are two types of training that the organisations can conduct for women who have been selected for such training programs:

Residential training programs to be conducted in villages/urban localities.
Non-residential training programs to be conducted in villages/urban localities.

For the residential training programs, a maximum of 25 women is permitted in one batch. Out of the above, not more than five should be from a single village/urban locality. The selected women, apart from belonging to the minority community, must possess a Class XII pass certificate or its equivalent. This can be relaxed to Class X pass certificate in case the required numbers of Class XII pass women are not available. For the non-residential training programs, a total of 25 women should be selected per batch. They should be from the village/urban locality apart from belonging to the minority community. At least 10% of the selected women should have passed Class X. This can be relaxed to Class V in special cases if the required numbers of Class X passed women are not available. The women who have been selected should be physically and mentally fit and must be ready to spend time and effort for upgrading their knowledge and then passing it on to other members of the minority community in the respective villages/urban localities.

Payments and Incentives for Participants

There are incentives for the training course. They also would be provided with a meal and crèche arrangement while the training is ongoing during the day time. This will be especially helpful for residential training courses. The stipend for the women who are a part of such programs and the honorarium for the Resource Persons will also be transferred to the respective bank accounts. Further, the Nai Roshni scheme will also cover the entire cost of training materials, fees, food, refreshment and travel expenses.

Workshops

Apart from the training program for women, special half-day workshops will be conducted by the Organisations. This will be done in coordination and collaboration with District Collector/SDO/Dy. Commissioner and BDO. The objective of these workshops is to sensitise the various Government functionaries and bankers, including Panchayati Raj functionaries about the various women empowerment schemes being carried out by the organisations.

Registration Process

The entire process of registration has to be completed online through OAMS (Online Application Management System). The following link gives details about the way in which the OAMS registration has to happen. Registration should be done only once. It should be done through OTP (One Time Password) gateway. It should be done on the registered mobile number of the respective organisation. Once the registration is complete, the organisations should submit the following documents:

Organisation experience and the number of years proof.
Details about projects implemented by the Organisation for the development of women.
Performance appraisal and evaluation of the various projects undertaken by the agency.
Key personnel working for the organisation with the relevant undergraduate and postgraduate degree in social work.
Details about the number of persons working for the organisation
Details about the number of bi-lateral, multi-lateral and government funding agencies/institutions or United Nations funded projects that have been taken up by the organisation

Submission of Proposal

The proposal of the organisation for being associated under the Nai Roshni program has to be submitted online through OAMS. A hard-copy (print) of the same may be taken and submitted to the District Collectors/District Magistrates for their recommendation, in the prescribed format. Please refer to this link for the format and other forms that are required for submission of proposals.

Once the proposal has been received complete in all respects, it will be placed before the Sanctioning Committee in the Ministry for approval.

Terms and Condition for Release of Funds & Empanelment

The organisation should have a website that gives full details of the entire organisation, field offices, head offices, telephone numbers, personnel and details of previous activities.
The organisation should also have GPS digital camera for photographing all important activities pertaining to the Nai Roshni Scheme.
The required undertaking to the Ministry of Minority Affairs should also be provided in the right format. A bond with two sureties should also be provided.
The organisation must maintain separate accounts for financial assistance released by the Ministry.
The funds should be utilised only for the specified purposes.
In case of illegal use of the funds, the organisation should give an undertaking that it will return the amount received along with 18% interest or penal interest as prescribed by the Chief Controllers of Accounts.
The government will also have the right to lay down any other conditions before releasing the grants-in-aid.

Requirements for Release of Funds

A bond furnished by an organisation with two sureties for the amount that is to be released under the scheme by the Government. Photographic evidence of the events, utilisation certificate and other such details should be submitted through OAMS.
Photos of all daily activities on the field should be captured and uploaded through the OAMS portal.
Funds will be released by the Ministry electronically to the Bank Account of the Organisation in instalments based on the approval given. The instalments are as follows:

Non-Residential Training

1^stinstalment 50% of the approved costs before commencement of the training.
2^ndinstalment 40% of the approved costs upon submission of the project completion report. The report should be signed by Head of the Panchayati Municipal Body/Local Authority.
Balance 10% would be released on project completion report, as per the guidelines laid down, pertaining to submission of utilisation certificate and various other documents. These documents should again be uploaded through the OAMS portal.

Residential Training

1^stinstallment: 50% of the approved project cost will be released before the commencement of the training.
2^ndinstallment: 50% of the approved cost/costs that are admissible would be released after submission of Utilisation Certificate

Review of the Scheme

The Ministry will review the scheme regularly. The Ministry of Minority Affairs may make changes to the scheme not involving financial aspects. This will be done keeping in mind the overall improvement of the scheme.