The Ministry of Minority Affairs initiated the Jiyo Parsi Scheme in 2013 to check the declining Parsi population.
The main objective of the scheme was to arrest the declining trend of the Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, in order to stabilize their population and thereby increasing the population of Parsis in India.
The scheme comprises of three components:
Advocacy Component that includes workshops, advertisement campaigns to create awareness, etc.,
Health of the Community Component which covers Childcare and Creche support, assistance to elderly, etc.
Medical Component includes financial assistance for the detection and treatment of infertility, fertility treatment, etc.
The scheme also offers cash assistance to encourage Parsi couples to have children. The scheme is applicable to all couples, irrespective of their financial status.
This has resulted in 214 births over the last five years through assisted reproductive techniques (ART).
This is a 100% Central Sector Scheme.
Parsi Community
Parsi community follow Zoroastrianism, which is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. It was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) in ancient Iran around the 6th-7th century.
Zoroastrians believe in one God called Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) who created the world. Their holy scripture is called the Avesta.
Zoroastrians worship communally in a Fire Temple or Agiary. Zoroastrians are not fire-worshippers but believe that the elements are pure and that fire represents God's light or wisdom.
March 21, Nowruz (also spelled as Navroz), the Iranian New Year is celebrated in India by the Parsi community.
Zoroastrians are split into two groups: the Iranians and the Parsis.
The followers of the religion who exiled from Iran in the 7th century AD arrived in Gujarat region of India.
According to the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, the population of Parsis has declined from about 114,000 in 1941 to 57,264 in 2011.
While India’s population more than tripled in over 60 years, the number of Parsi has reduced by almost 50% (Census 2011).
Maharashtra has the highest Parsi population in the country followed by Gujarat.
Infertility and late marriages are among the main reasons for the rapid decline in the Parsi population.
According to the foundation, 30% of the Parsi population has never married.
Zoroastrians (Parsis) are among the six religious communities notified as minority communities by the Union Government. The other five are: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains.
