Central govt unveils revamped Jiyo Parsi scheme to bolster Parsi-Zoroastrian population

• Central Government unveils revised guidelines for the Jiyo Parsi scheme, targeting the Parsi-Zoroastrian population decline
• Revamped plan, supported by UNESCO, BPP, and TISS, shifts administration to state governments and introduces direct fund transfers to beneficiaries
• Initiative, credited with around 400 additional births in the last decade, aims to address demographic concerns through a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach

The Central Government, in collaboration with UNESCO’s PARZOR Foundation, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), has announced revised guidelines for the Jiyo Parsi scheme. The scheme, a decade-long demographic project, aims to address the declining Parsi-Zoroastrian population in India. The revamped initiative, unveiled during a meeting between the Minister for Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, and Parsi community representatives, introduces strategic changes for more effective implementation.

The Jiyo Parsi scheme, funded by the government and supported by key organizations, has been successful in generating approximately 400 additional births over the last decade through fertility treatments. The revamped plan shifts administration from a private agency to state governments with the assistance of Parsi associations and fire temples. Notably, the scheme will now directly transfer funds to beneficiaries' accounts.

It incorporates recommendations from the International Institute of Population Sciences and TISS, introducing a multi-pronged approach for medical assistance, community health, and advocacy. The new administrative structure includes district-level committees, state-level project management committees, sanctioning committees, and oversight committees for efficient project management.