By TCN News,
New Delhi: A delegation of Muslim MPs led by K. Rahman Khan, deputy chairman, Rajya Sabha, met Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman, Planning Commission, demanding a radical change of approach towards minority welfare schemes for their effective implementation; to approach and monitor minority welfare schemes at the block/town level rather than district level. They also demanded that under the light of Sachar Committee report, proper allocation of funds and effective implementation of various schemes meant for the minorities, to be included in the 12th Five Year Plan.
R-L: K Rahman Khan with Montek Singh Ahluwalia
For instance the delegation demanded that parameters of health, dropout rate from school after 7th standard, agricultural landholding, standards of self employment, income profile, marginal employment of productive age group population and reduction of Muslim population from 25% to 15%, should be parts of criteria to identify blocks/towns of minority concentration.
The delegation, which included 20 MPs, also proposed creation of “social audit” of PM’s 15 points programme, up to revenue division/ municipality division, for its effective implementation. Local mosque committees and Muslim activists should be made part of these social audit committees.
The delegation urged the Planning Commission to make scholarship schemes demand driven and to create institutional mechanism to develop wakf properties, which can generate sufficient funds to be used for the development of the community. It proposed that the government should issue Wakf Development Bonds, which can generate funds for the development of the community.
MPs meeting with Monket Singh Ahluwalia
Ahluwalia told the delegation that a comprehensive note be submitted by the Muslim MPs to design inclusive and effective policies. The commission assured the delegation to not only consider the points raised by the delegation but also said that these points will be put before the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for consideration so that these could be included in the12th Five Year Plan.
The delegation included Syed Azeez Pasha, E. Ahmed, Mohd. Shafi, Ali Anwar Ansari, Kesar Jahan, Tabassum, M. A. Khan, Mohd. Azharuddin, M. A. Madni, G. N. Ratanpuri, Salim Ansari, S. D. Shariq, Mohd. Amin, A. S. Malihabadi, Mohd. Adeeb, S.K. Saidul Haque, Sabir Ali and Mohd. Asrarul Haque.