As many as 534 births have been reported in the Parsi community since 2014-15, as the government’s Jiyo Parsi scheme continues its efforts to help stabilise the community’s declining population. Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju shared the figure in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, noting that a total of Rs 37.43 crore has been spent on the scheme to date.
Rijiju said the 500-plus births have brought a ray of hope toward stabilising the Parsi population, and that independent third-party evaluation studies have also found the scheme successful in meeting its objectives.
On the breakdown of spending, the Minister said Rs 2.93 crore was spent in 2025-26 under the scheme’s Health of the Community component, alongside Rs 24 lakh on the Medical component and Rs 29 lakh on advocacy. Spending on the Health of the Community component has climbed steadily in recent years, from Rs 2.53 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 2.66 crore in 2024-25.
Since 2013, a cumulative 582 beneficiaries from the Parsi community have received financial assistance under the scheme’s Medical component for infertility treatment, childbearing, childbirth, and post-natal care. Separately, since 2018-19, the Health of Community component has supported 1,055 beneficiaries on a cumulative basis.
Rijiju added that the government continues to run regular publicity around the scheme to build awareness and outreach within the community, including workshops, interaction sessions, registration drives, and bio-authentication drives. Information about the scheme is also disseminated every month through the major Parsi newspapers, though the Minister clarified that this particular component does not carry any direct financial assistance to beneficiaries.
(IANS)