Nagpur :

Parsees in the city gave thumbs up to the Jiyo Parsee scheme floated by the Central government recently. The ministry of minority affairs launched this scheme to check the decline in the population of Parsees and help increase their numbers.

The Centre intends to spend Rs10 crore over four years under this scheme. A part of the fund will be spent on counselling Parsee youth and their families for early marriage and conceiving at the right age while the rest will be spent to financially assist couples who have fertility problems.

“The rate at which the population of Parsees is reducing is really alarming. We have become a micro-minority and at this stage every little bit of effort taken to help the community will count and will be worth it,” said Dilnaz Bhagwagar, a freelance writer.

Studies conducted by various organizations pointed out various reasons including late marriage, not marrying, fertility decline, emigration and marriage outside community for the decline in the population of the community. “These are quite true. I find it ironical, that such an enlightened and progressive community like ours is facing such a problem,” said Parizad Major, an English lecturer, adding that she would be interested to see the outcome of the scheme.

Good levels of education and high career aspirations are coming in way of opting for marriage at an early stage of life, felt most of the Parsees TOI spoke to. “People want to be settled and economically independent before they start a family. Thus, automatically there is a delay in these important phases of one’s life,” said Bhagwagar.

Though almost all the Parsees TOI spoke to were appreciative of the step taken by the government, they were not cent per cent sure about its outcome. “It is difficult to say whether the first part of the scheme – counselling – will help or not. Marriage is a personal issue and each individual has his/her say on it. The part about financial aid to couples having infertility  problems will surely help,” said Mehru Major, managing trustee, JN Tata Parsee Girls High School.

Suggesting an additional measure, Shernaz Daver, a retired teacher, said, “This step is indeed a positive one and shows that government is recognizing our problems. But today, most couples decide on having only one child so as to give her/him the best of everything because of financial reasons. Maybe, providing monetary assistance to couples opting for second or third child will encourage Parsee couples to have more children.”

However, not all are taking such a positive view of the scheme. “It is a welcome step, but I am doubtful if it will be implemented. This is just a minority appeasement step. If they cared about us so much, they would not have taken our name off the census papers. Now, we come under the category of ‘others’,” said Thrity Patel, emeritus professor of law.

In the first phase, the scheme is being implemented in Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat. Nagpur which has a sprinkling of about 500 Parsees will not be covered along with other cities. The first steps of the community into the city were tiny with a Mr Pattanki setting up a general provision store in Kamptee in 1807. It was with the establishment of the Empress Mills that Parsees settled in the city in larger numbers.

The community was however not miffed over the city’s exclusion in the implementation of the scheme. “It is only practical for the government to implement in major population hubs of the Parsees. I only think that cities like Pune and Hyderabad which also have large communities of Parsees should also have been included,” said Daver.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Nagpur> Population / by Aparna Nair, TNN / September 26th, 2013