With the Modi government completing 12 years in office, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on Thursday said that more than 11 crore students, senior citizens, transpersons and marginalised communities have been impacted by its schemes and programmes since 2014.In a review of 12 years of achievements, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) said there has been a shift from welfare to empowerment through digital interventions, legislative safeguards and targeted livelihood opportunities.The DoSJE today released a comprehensive review marking 12 years of landmark achievements, highlighting a paradigm shift from basic welfare to absolute empowerment.“Through deep-rooted digital interventions, robust legislative safety nets, and targeted livelihood opportunities, the ministry has directly impacted the lives of more than 11 crore students, senior citizens, transgender persons, and marginalised communities across India since 2014,” the ministry said in a statement.The ministry said the post-matric scholarship scheme for Scheduled Castes has supported over 6.12 crore students with an investment of ₹46,581.54 crore.Similarly, the pre-matric scholarship scheme has secured the education of 2.99 crore vulnerable students with funding amounting to ₹4,893.03 crore, it said.Under the PM-YASASVI scheme, more than 1,069 lakh students from other backward class (OBC), economically backward class (EBC), and denotified tribes (DNTs) have received financial assistance, residential hostel infrastructure, and premier school placements, totalling ₹15,555.53 crore, it said.The ministry said that major amendments to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act led to the establishment of exclusive special courts, victim rights frameworks and a hike in relief amounts.Since 2014, ₹5,012.17 crore has been released for 7.26 lakh atrocity victims, it said.On the health front, the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) has built an unprecedented mass awareness force, reaching more than 26.28 crore citizens, including 9.56 crore youth, mobilised through partnerships with spiritual bodies and digital dashboards, the statement said.It also said that more than 8.53 lakh senior citizens have received 46.32 lakh assistive living devices through Rashtriya Vayoshri camps under the Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (AVYAY), while the elderline helpline (14567) has resolved over 29 lakh grievances.The statement said the pioneering SMILE scheme has extended legal and economic identity to transpersons via a unified national portal, issuing 33,189 certificates, setting up operational 'Garima Greh' shelters, and integrating gender-affirmation procedures into the Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY) framework.The ministry also said that the venture capital funds for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes have approved more than ₹750 crore for competitive businesses.Additionally, under the NAMASTE scheme, the ministry has championed the complete mechanisation of sewer cleaning to replace manual practices, deploying ₹2,383.06 crore in concessional finance to guarantee safety and professional dignity for 3.42 lakh sanitation workers across the country, the statement said.Published on June 12, 2026