By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The multi-billion rupee development scheme, known as Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP), for 90 minority concentration districts in the country will soon entre its third financial year, but about 10% of these districts haven’t yet sent their plan to the Central Government. Interestingly, Delhi state’s North East district with about 25% Muslim population is one among them. The state as well as centre is ruled by the Congress Party.
The Central Government launched the MsDP proram in the financial year 2008-2009. Even after passing of two consecutive financial years (2008-09 and 2009-10), nine minority concentration districts haven’t sent till December 31, 2009 their proposals for development.
Delhi state has a single minority district (North East Delhi) among selected 90 nationally, yet the officials, seemingly, have not found time to outline a plan and send it to the Centre. Similar is the case with Madhya Pradesh that has one minority district (Bhopal) but district has not sent any plan.
Of 7 minority districts in Arunachal Pradesh, two, East Kameng and Lower Subansiri have not sent plan. Similarly, of Assam’s 13 minority districts, North Cachar Hills and Kokrajhar, Jharkhand’s (4) Ranchi and Sikkim’s (1) North Sikkim districts have also failed to send plans.
Hingoli district of Maharashtra – the state has 4 minority districts – had sent its plan. It was considered by the Centre but not approved due to lack of justification/clarification, but it is yet to send revised plan to the Centre.
The Union Minority Affairs Ministry which is running MsDP program has got Rs 2600 crore in the Budget 2010-11. Of this amount, MsDP program will get Rs 889 crore. This project had Rs 553 crore in the Budget 2009-10.