New Delhi

Contrary to the perception that the Narendra Modi government is biased against Minorities – mainly Muslims – it has increased the budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Minorities Affairs, the nodal ministry for handing minorities welfare schemes, by  ₹4.38 crore.

The Union Budget presented in the Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman on Sunday, has allocated ₹3,400 crore to the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

A significant portion, Rs 831.7 crore, is dedicated to educational empowerment of minority students, making the government’s focus clear.

The allocation for the ministry was ₹3,395.62 crore in 2025.

Not only the overall allocations have increased, the same is reflected in the individual schemes.

Acording to budget documents, out of the ₹3,400 crore allocated to the ministry, ₹184.45 crore has been earmarked for central sector schemes and projects. This was ₹180.07 crore in 2025. This constitutes an increase of approximately ₹4.8 crore.

Approximately ₹2,000 crore has been allocated for the Ministry of Minority Affairs' flagship schemes. The most significant of these is the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK), which gets ₹1,197.97.

This is the flagship scheme for construction and upgradation of schools, hostels, health centers, and community buildings in minority-dominated areas across the country.

Muslim organizations have expressed mixed reactions to the increased financial provision for the Ministry of Minority Affairs in the Union Budget. Maulana Yasoob Abbas, General Secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board, expressed happiness over the increase of ₹1,240 crore for minorities in the Union Budget compared to the previous budget.

He told news agency PTI, that the central government has presented an increase of approximately ₹1,240 crore in the budget for 2026-27 compared to the revised estimates for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which is encouraging.

However, he also said that the Shia community often does not receive the appropriate benefits of the budget, and the government should consider this and implement a mechanism to ensure that the 

 Shia community also receives the appropriate benefits of the budget.

Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, a senior executive member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), stated that the budget has not been increased as much as it should be, given the minority population and their educational needs.

He added that the budget for minority scholarships and other items has been reduced or eliminated in the past several times, and this time the budget has not been increased as much.

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Maulana Rashid said that more ambitious schemes are needed to promote employment, higher education, and quality job training for minorities, for which even greater expectations were placed on the budget. Maulana Rashidi, legal advisor to the Uttar Pradesh unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (AM), commented on the budget, saying the government has allocated approximately ₹832 crore for the educational empowerment of minority.