By Dr. Syed Ahmed for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Vice-Chairperson, Dr. H.T. Sangliana paid six-day visit to Manipur to review the welfare programmes implemented for the minorities in the state. During his stay at Imphal from May 4-9, 2012 Sangliana held meetings with Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, officials of various departments and representatives of the minorities. He reviewed the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme implemented in the state and also visited some of the remote minority inhabited areas and listened to their complaints.
On May 7, Sangliana held meeting with officials of various departments of the State and reviewed the progress of the implementation of Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme. On May 8, an interactive programme was organized at Imphal Hotel. At the meeting Sangliana interacted with government officials and representatives of Muslim, Christian, Meitei Sanamahi and Buddhist communities. Chairperson of Manipur State Minorities Commission (MSMC) Helim Choudhury, Principal Secretary of Department of Minority & Other Backward Classes (MOBC) and Scheduled Caste (SC) W. Hangsing and Director of MOBC Department R.K Dineshchandra were also present at the meeting.
Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs M.A. Imam inpecting IIT building under construcion in Lilong in June 2011
Minorities complain about welfare schemes including scholarships
During the interaction Sangliana was informed by a section of the minority representatives that the various scholarship schemes implemented by the Department of MOBC have failed to reach the genuine beneficiaries. He was shocked to learn that headmasters were deducting a percentage from the amount of scholarship of the students. Sangliana was also informed that government officials were not available or easily accessible to the general public. Sangliana asked the government officials present at the interaction programme to be available to public as not doing so would have bad consequence in governance. He asked for a more accountable method of disbursement of the scholarships and asked for inclusion of district Deputy Commissioners. He said that if anyone has any complaint they could call him up directly over telephone.
The representatives of various minority communities of the State also placed memorandums stating their demands to Sangliana. The demands included repairing of madrasas, increase of salary of minority teachers, inclusion of Sanamahi faith followed by Meiteis in Manipur as a minority religion, extension of scholarships under Maulana Azad Education Foundation to the Buddhists, among others. Sangliana said all these issues are to be addressed by the State government and he can only make a report and submit it to the Central government.
The officials representing Department of MOBC said about eleven schemes are undertaken in the State for the minorities, which include economic development programme, scholarship and coaching scheme, managing and running hostels for Boys and Girls, Mahila Samridhi Yojna, schemes under Maulana Azad Educational Foundation, National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) and National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC), etc.
Sangliana visited the tribal/Christian dominated district of Churachanpur and inspected the Khuga Multipurpose Project. He looked into all the details of the Khuga Dam. He also inspected the water supply section which is maintained by the PHED. He saw that the canals were blocked and farmers were not able to utilise the water from the dam. Congress President, Sonia Gandhi had inaugurated the dam in 2010 as an impression was created by officials that everything including disbursement of compensation to farmers was already done, Sangliana told the mediapersons. Taking up the issue of the deplorable condition of Tipaimukh Road (NH 150) along the Hmar Hills stretch, he said it needs immediate attention.
Sangliana met Manipur governor Gurbachan Jagat and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and discussed the issue of minorities. He also briefed both of them about the failure of Khuga Project in Churachandpur. He urged them to take up whatever schemes are available for minority.
Schemes taken up by Department of MOBC
The department has taken up various Central and State sponsored programmes and schemes since its creation by the State government, namely:
1. Economic Development Programmes which implements various family-oriented, income-generation schemes, like poultry farming, fish farming, embroidery, tailoring, etc. to improve the socio-economic conditions of the poor minorities and OBC
2. Skill Development Programme which enhances the skills of minorities and OBC by giving training in various trades, like tailoring, embroidery, carpentry, etc.
3. Health scheme which give financial assistance for medical treatment to those minorities and OBC belonging to BPL
4. Housing scheme provided to minorities and OBC belonging to BPL
5. Educational schemes like Pre-examination coaching, remedial coaching, Pre-Matric/Post-Matric/Merit-cum-means scholarship schemes, Free coaching and Allied scheme for the students belonging to minority communities
Some of the important institutions of the minorities and OBCs, like the Wakf Board Manipur, Manipur State Minorities Commission (MSMC), Manipur State OBC Commission and Manipur State Haj Committee are also working under the MOBC department.
Schemes taken up by Wakf Board Manipur
Wakf Board, Manipur also takes up the following schemes:
1. Financial Assistance to masjid/Qabarstan/idgah
2. Pre-matric scholarship to Muslim girl students
3. Financial assistance to madrasas and maktabs
4. Financial assistance to poor widows and destitute women
5. Central Wakf scholarship scheme to Muslim students
Dr. Sangliana and Chairman Manipur State Minoroties Commission Helim Choudhury (4th from right) visiting a village in Feb. 2010
Projects taken up under MsDP
Some projects under the Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) have also been implemented in some of the minority-concentrated areas of Manipur. Six districts of Manipur – Thoubal, Senapati, Churachanpur, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Chandel – come under the recognized minority concentration districts (MCDs). Thoubal district is included in the category A of the MCDs which have both socio-economic and basic amenities parameters below national average. The district has the highest concentration of Muslim population in the state. Around 45% of the total Muslim population in the State is in Thoubal district. The other 5 districts are Christian-majority districts and are included in the sub-category B2 of the list which have basic amenities parameters below the national average.
An Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Lilong and safe-drinking water supply schemes are some of the projects taken up under the MsDP in Thoubal district. These projects were inaugurated by Union Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on February 9, 2010.
Functions of Manipur State Minorities Commission
MSMC was constituted by an executive order of the State government on 20 February 2004 as a non-statutory body. However, the Manipur State Minorities Commission Bill 2010 was passed in June 29, 2010 and the enactment of the Model Act was processed. The Commission functions with a Chairperson and a Secretary. The State Commission has been given the following functions:
1. To evaluate the working of the various safeguards provide in the constitution and in the laws passed by the State legislature
2. To make recommendations with a view to ensuring effective implementation and enforcement of all the safeguards
3. To undertake a review of the implementation of policies and schemes of the State government with respect to minorities
4. To conduct studies, research and analysis on the question of avoidance of discrimination against minorities
5. To suggest to the State government appropriate legal and welfare measures in respect of minorities
6. To study any other matter which the Commission considers is important from the point of view of the welfare and development of minorities, and thereby forward appropriate recommendations
7. To undertake a review of the implementation of the Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme
8. To consider the grievances of the minorities and suggest appropriate solution from time to time
9. To make periodical reports to the State government at prescribed intervals etc.
In Manipur, minority communities constitute 43% of the total population. Christians are the largest minority community (34%), followed by Muslims (8.8%), Sikhs (0.1%) and Buddhists (0.1%).