Jiyo Parsi Scheme | 22 Oct 2019
- 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.
Source: HT