By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporters,
New Delhi: Newspapers readers in the national capital woke up to full page advertisements of the Ministry of Minority Affairs on the occasion of ‘Minority Rights Day’ on Thursday, December 18.
Prominent on the full page advertisements are a large smiling photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and smaller ones of the senior and junior Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi respectively. Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote – “A civilisation can be judged by the way it treats its minorities” – was placed right below the national symbol.
The advertisement also lists out the ‘achievements’ of the new government since it came to the power in May 2014. If for nothing else, the BJP-led NDA has just continued to splurge that the UPA government was known for.
Notwithstanding the list, a pertinent question to ask is: Have the first six months of the NDA government brought any change in the ‘minority affairs’?
There are of course, cosmetic changes such as there are two ministers and few schemes tweaked to suit the new dispensation’s outlook. Almost all other schemes have continued as it is. In some cases, there are more funds provided.
The Ministry’s annual budget provision stands at Rs 3,711 crore under Plan for year 2014-15. Of the government’s total plan outlay for 2014-15 is Rs 484532.45 crore, the Ministry of Minority Affair’s share stands at Rs 2469.00 crore with another Rs 1232.00 crore for Multi Sectoral Development Programme for Minorities, as per Planning Commission documents.
But despite the funds, which have continued to be poured into over last many years, questions have been raised about the actual implementation of various schemes. NGOs, academics and of course, the Sachar Committee and the latest, Kundu Committee, have drawn attention to the fact that the implementation of these schemes is hardly benefitting the real needy, the funds are hardly reaching the rightful beneficiary.
So, if all old schemes have continued and more funds are provided with glossy advertisements tom-toming the achievements of just six months, question remains about how effective these schemes really are?
The change in the regime has not meant change in the apathetic state of affairs that was the hallmark of the UPA government for last two terms. Will it mean that the two ministers for this relatively small ministry would only write cheques for schemes that are not implemented properly, for loans that do not reach the real needy, for fellowships that do not honour the actual meritorious students?