The scheme “Alpsankhyak Vikas Nidhi” by the Social Welfare (Minorities) Department, Government of Uttarakhand, aims to address developmental gaps for religious and linguistic minorities, including Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, and Jains, as well as Urdu, Bengali, and Punjabi linguistic groups. The fund, with an initial corpus of ₹4,00,00,000/-, focuses on socio-economic and educational upliftment, supplementing central schemes like MSDP (Multi-Sectoral Development Programme). It operates under a committee chaired by the Principal Secretary, Social Welfare.

Benefits

1. Financial Support for Community Development: Fund allocation for project-specific grants in Education (up to ₹10L), Livelihoods (up to ₹5L), and Healthcare (up to ₹3L).
2. Targeted Group Coverage: Benefiting religious minorities (Muslims, Sikhs, etc.) and linguistic minorities in priority districts with >25% minority population.
3. Empowerment Through Education: Pre-Matric (₹1,000/month) and Post-Matric (₹5,000/year) scholarships, plus skill development stipends.
4. Infrastructure and Welfare Initiatives: Grants for community halls (up to ₹20L) and renovation of institutions (up to ₹5L), plus basic amenities in slums.
5. Employment and Entrepreneurship: 5% interest subsidy on small business loans and seed money of ₹50,000 for SHGs.
6. Healthcare Access: Mobile health units and subsidized awareness camps for maternal health and chronic diseases.
7. Transparency: Digital project tracking and mandatory third-party audits for funds >₹5L.
8. Special Provisions for Women: 50% reservation in scholarships/training and ₹25,000 grants for home enterprises.
9. Supplement to Central Schemes: Provides gap funding to cover shortfalls in central programs like MSDP.
10. Long-Term Impact: Focus on improving literacy rates and supporting minority-owned startups.

Eligibility

• The project must benefit notified religious/linguistic minority communities in Uttarakhand.
• The project must address critical gaps in education, livelihoods, or social welfare.
• Priority is given to districts with high minority populations (e.g., Ghaziabad, Saharanpur).

Application Process

Offline

• Step 1: Eligible institutions should approach the Minority Welfare Officer for the prescribed development proposal format.
• Step 2: Fill in mandatory details and attach required documents.
• Step 3: Submit two hard copies and a soft copy (PDF) via email to the Minority Welfare Officer; request a receipt.
• Step 4: Officers forward proposals to the Directorate of Minority Welfare and then to the State Government.
• Step 5: A State Committee chaired by the Secretary of Minority Welfare approves proposals, with final approval by the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand.

Documents Required

• Project Proposal: Detailed plan with objectives, budget, and timeline.
• Institution’s Registration Certificate
• Community Certification: Proof of Minority Status.
• Financial Contribution Proof (25% for infrastructure cases)
• Details of Teachers (for honorarium requests)
• Bank Details of the Institution.