In an effort "to encourage Parsi couples to have more children,” the president and trustees of the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) board "have decided to provide child care allowance of Rs 5,000 per month per child from (the) third child onwards effective April 2023 till the child completes 25 years of age,” notes an email dated June 3, 2023 from SPP president Dr Homi Doodhwala. The scheme is offered on an all India basis.
From l, top row: Dr Homi Doodhwala, Yazdi Karanjia, Malcolm Pandol, Kashmira Dordi;
2nd row: Rustom Morena, Farzin Parabia, Persi Engineer
The SPP has also decided to "help those Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian couples who have taken a personal loan of up to five lakh rupees for marriage purpose from a bank by reimbursing up to 50% of interest on loan on presentation of valid documents,” added Doodhwala. No income criteria have been fixed so far for the two schemes; applications will be dealt with on a case-to-case basis, Doodhwala explained to Parsiana on June 5.
To facilitate marriages, engaged Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian couples "residing in and around Surat, who do not have their own accommodation, will be given priority for allotment of SPP owned flats at Surat on completion of necessary formalities.”
Eligible Parsi/Irani Zoroastrian may contact SPP on 0261-2423221/2432978, Mobile: 8980334161 or email:
office@suratparsipanchayat.com or
sppanchayat@gmail.com
The Jiyo Parsi (JP) program that launched schemes to support couples planning families with medical treatments, a second child with creche-childcare assistance of Rs 4,000 per month per child up to eight years of age, and support for elder care, will no longer be routed through the Parzor Foundation in Delhi. A notice dated March 14, 2023 on the website of JP states that "the Ministry (of Minority Affairs) has decided to discontinue the services of the Parzor Foundation (that implemented the Jiyo Parsi program)… The government is implementing all its social sector schemes through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode (directly to the beneficiaries through their linked bank accounts). Parzor director Dr Shernaz Cama told Parsiana on June 5: "Since the government has decided to use a DBT system we have no further comment or information.” The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) will most likely be handling the JP scheme and disbursement of funds.
In 1993, under the chairmanship of industrialist Jamshed Guzder, the BPP and the Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India launched the first all-India third child incentive scheme that continued till a few years ago when a paucity of funds caused the program to flounder.