The Minority Affairs ministry has developed a plan to “restore” the Parsi population in the nation, which has reportedly been found to be declining due to the eligible bachelors’ lack of desire in marriage.
According to statistics, 30% of eligible individuals in the Parsi community are single.
In light of this, the ministry created the “Jiyo Parsi” programme, which encourages Parsi men and women to engage in “online dating” and marriage counselling.
In light of the fact, the ministry has come up with ‘Jiyo Parsi’, a scheme that encourages ‘online dating’ and marriage counselling among Parsi men and women.
Shernaz Cama, Director of Parzor Foundation, one of the implementing bodies for this scheme, said that it is necessary to encourage people of the Parsi community to marry and have children because the total fertility rate in this community is about 0.8 per couple and an average of 800 people die every year against the birth of 200 to 300 children, which is worse in comparison to the situation of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians.
According to the new National Health and Family Welfare Survey (NHFWS), the total fertility rate is 1.94 in the Hindu community, 2.36 in the Muslim community, 1.88 in the Christian community and 1.61 in the Sikh community.
According to the 2011 census, the population of the Parsi community in the country was 57,264 as against 1,14,000 in 1941.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs launched the ‘Jiyo Parsi’ scheme in November 2013 with the intention to balance the population of the Parsi community and increase the total fertility rate, for which a budget of Rs 4 to 5 crore is provided every year.
