By IANS,
Panaji : The Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in Goa Thursday introduced a draft legislation for setting up a minorities commission.
The Goa Commission for Minorities Bill, 2012, which was introduced in the on-going monsoon session of the assembly is aimed to “safeguard the interests of the minorities in the state of Goa and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto”.
The proposed commission would be empowered to evaluate the progress of the development of the minorities and “make recommendations for the effective implementation of safeguards for the protection of the interest of the minorities by the government”.
The proposed panel would also “look into the specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of the minorities and take up such matters with the appropriate authorities”.
It would also “conduct studies, research and analysis on the issues relating to socio-economic and educational development of the minorities”.
The commission as envisioned in the bill will have a chairperson, a vice chairperson and five members, besides other officials.
Goa, which has a population of 14 lakh, has 27 percent Christian population, while Muslims account for over 10 percent.