As per the Census data, the population of Parsi (Zoroastrian) community decreased from 69,601 in 2001 to 57,264 in 2011, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

The ministry implements ‘Jiyo Parsi’ scheme to contain the population decline of Parsis in India. 

What is Jiyo Parsi scheme?

• Over the centuries, since the first Zoroastrians arrived in India, the Parsis have integrated themselves into Indian society while simultaneously maintaining their own distinct customs and traditions and ethnic identity. It has an ageing demographic profile with a large number of middle aged and elderly population. 

• In addition to late marriages, voluntary and involuntary childlessness is another important factor for the low fertility among the Parsi community.

• To contain the population decline of the Parsi community a Central Sector Scheme ‘Jiyo Parsi’ was launched during 2013-14.

• The objective of this scheme is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions to stabilise their population in India. 

• The scheme is implemented by the Parzor Foundation with the help of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP) and through the organisations/societies/ anjumans and panchayat of the community concerned, in existence for not less than three years.

• So far, 359 babies have been born with the assistance of the Jio Parsi scheme, since inception of the scheme. 

The scheme has three components: 

1) Advocacy: It includes counselling of couples with fertility, marriage, family and elderly counselling, including workshops on relationship management, parenting, drug awareness, etc.

2) Health of community: To provide financial assistance to Parsi parents to meet the expenses towards creche/child care, assistance to elderly, etc. The component of assistance for elderly dependents is envisaged to provide monetary assistance to Parsi couples with family income below Rs 15 lakh who have elderly members residing with the family and in cases where such responsibility is a deterrent to starting or increasing the number of children.

The total financial assistance provided to Parsi couples whose family income is below Rs 10 lakh and have elderly members residing with the family has been over Rs 2.24 crore. This support has been provided to 115 Parsi couples.

3) Medical assistance: Includes financial assistance for Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), which also includes In Vitro Fertilization and Intracytoplasmic Injection (ICS) and other modes including surrogacy.

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