Government has released over 5 thousand 1 hundred 23 crore rupees for the educational empowerment of students belonging to economically weaker sections of the minority communities. This is  out of an allocated fund of 5 thousand 2 hundred 53 crore rupees in the last 3 financial years. Minority Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.<br />''<br />''Mr. Naqvi said, since 2014-15, more than 5 crore scholarships have been provided through National Scholarship Portal and Direct Benefit Transfer out of which more than 52 per cent beneficiaries are female. The minister said, the amount for 1 crore 85 lakh 79 thousand 345 Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarships have been sanctioned in the last 3 financial years out of 2 crore 53 lakh 77 thousand 535 verified applications. <br />''<br />''<br />