By PIB
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has said that Government is taking steps to implement the provisions of Sachar Committee report and also the Prime Ministers 15-point programme for minorities in right spirit. Inaugurating the Annual Conference of the State Minorities Commissions organized by the National Commission for Minorities here today he said it is the duty of Government to provide full opportunities of development to minorities and protect their life, property and culture. In the present scenario of liberalization, the minorities should also explore avenues of self-employment like setting up of industrial units and opt for professions for which financial assistance should be provided to them on easy term and long term basis. He laid emphasis on the opening of more educational institutions, either by the government or by private bodies so as to make education accessible to everybody.
Earlier , Welcoming the Home Minister, Mohamed Shafi Qureshi, Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities in his address urged that if the Commission has to play a more pro active role for the benefit of the minority communities, its finances and man power base have to be augmented and strengthened. To this end, the Government should expedite the process of conferring the Constitutional Status on the National Commission for Minorities. Chairperson observed that the recommendation of the Commission for creation of a Minority Sub-Plan did not find a place in the Eleventh Plan Document. However, he welcomed the step taken by the Government for creation of a National Data Bank through comprehensive surveys on quantitative aspects of socio-religious communities and commission qualitative studies to understand patterns of discrimination and to identify bottlenecks in the various programmes, for course correction. Chairperson, NCM stressed the need for concerted efforts required to implement recommendations of the Sachhar Committee Report.
Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar, Member, Planning Commission was the guest speaker in the first working session of the Conference in which the Eleventh Plan Document with reference to Minorities and Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities was discussed. In the second working session the status and role of the State Minorities Commissions were deliberated upon with a view to strengthening the State Commissions and empowering them to play a more pro-active role in the development of the minorities in the country.