By Afroz Alam Sahil
Ten years ago, the Sachar Committee Report on the social, economic, and educational conditions of the Muslim community of India was made public. Although a number of the recommendations were never implemented, nevertheless, according to the Minority affairs minister (Independent Charge), Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the current NDA Government is running numerous schemes for the welfare of minorities and continuously trying to improve the conditions of the community.
He was answering one of Sirajuddin Ajamal’s question in Parliament and said, ‘The Government endeavours to improve the quality of life of minorities across the country by implementing the ongoing schemes/initiative, meant for their welfare, and by taking necessary corrective measures as soon as they become necessary.’
In response to Sirajuddin Ajmal’s question, ‘whether the government has held discussions with various stakeholders while reviewing the schemes made for them and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefore’, Naqvi said, ‘The government interacts with all the concerned stakeholders while reviewing any scheme meant for the welfare of minorities. This is a continuous process.’
Ajmal also asked about, ‘whether the government has conducted or proposed to conduct any socio-economic survey assessment of the minorities in the country, if so, the details of such assessments made during each of the last three years and current year’. Mukhtar’s response was ‘No’.
For our readers, here is a list of schemes/ initiatives for the welfare of minorities:
1. Enhancing opportunities for education
a) Pre-Matric Scholarship
b) Post-Matric Scholarship
c) Merit-cum-Means Scholaarship
d) Maulana Azad National Fellowship
e) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme for providing services through Anganwadi Centres
f) Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and opening of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas
g) ‘Padho Pradesh’ –Interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies
h) ‘Nai Udaan’ –Support for students clearing Prelims conducted by UPSC, SSC, State Public Service Commission, etc.
i) Scheme for providing Quality Education in Madarsas (SPQEM)
j) Scheme for Infrastructure Development of Minority Institutions (IDMI)
k) Greater Resource for Teaching Urdu
l) Free Coaching and Allied Scheme
m) Schemes of Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) for promotion of education
n) Mid Day Meal Scheme
o) Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)
p) Sakshar Bharat/ Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Balighan
q) Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)
r) Block Institutes of Teachers Education
s) Women’s Hostel
2. Ensuring an equitable share for minorities in economic activities
a) Swarn Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (renamed as Aajeevika/National Rural Livelihood Mission)
b) Swarn Jayanti Shahri Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY) (renamed as National Urban Livelihood Mission)
c) ‘Seekho aur Kamao’ –Skill Development Initiatives
d) Upgrading Skill and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD)
e) Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)
f) Restructuring of NMDFC and Loan Schemes of National Minority Development & Finance Commission (NMDFC)
g) Bank credit under Priority Sector Lending
h) Issue of guidelines for giving special consideration for recruitment of minorities.
i) Opening of new Bank Branches/ awareness campaigns.
j) Nai Manzil –An integrated Education and Livelihood Initiative for the Minority Communities
3. Improving the conditions of living of minorities
a) Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY)
b) Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP)
c) Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP)
d) Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG)
e) Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT)
f) National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP)
g) Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP)
h) Waqf matters
i) Strengthening of State Waqf Boards
j) Computerization of records of States Waqf Boards
4. Prevention of control of communal disharmony and violence
a) Issue of guidelines on communal harmony
5. Others
a) ‘Nai Roshni’ –Leadership development of minority women
b) ‘Jiyo Parsi’ –Scheme for containing population decline of small minority community
c) Hamari Dharohar
d) Representation of minorities in urban & rural local bodies
e) Exemption of waqf properties from state rent control act
f) Appropriate training modules to be prepared for sensitization of government functionaries
g) Multi-media campaign for wide publicity of Government schemes/programmes
h) Annual Meeting between CWC and ASI and protection of Waqf monuments
i) Setting up Assessment & Monitoring Authority (AMA)
j) Setting up of National Data Bank (NBD)
k) Review of Delimitation Act
l) Dissemination of information in vernacular languages.