By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: Manipur State Minorities Commission (MSMC) sponsored one-day educational awareness cum complaint hearing programme on welfare schemes for minorities on 1 September 2012 at Moreh, near the Indo-Myanmar border. The programme, organized by Manipuri Muslim Council (MMC), was held at Moreh Ward No.5 at Muslim Nagar. The function was attended by Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Md. Abdul Nasir, MLA Md. Fajur Rahim, members of MSMC Ven Dr. Panthaw Paa and Rev. N. Devendra Singh, Chairperson of MSMC A. Halim Chowdhury, IAS (Retd.), Deputy Secretary (Education-School) MA Salam, and Presidents of Meitei Council, Muslim Council, Tamil Sangam and Hill Tribal Council, community leaders, students and general public.
During the complaint hearing session the minority communities of Moreh town made various complaints related to the various beneficiary oriented schemes for minorities which are being implemented by the State government. MSMC gathered the complaints made during the session. There were complaints that the minorities of Moreh fail to get the benefits of various government schemes meant for the minorities. There were also complaints of difficulties in getting the benefits. President of Muslim Women’s Development Association, Moreh, Mrs. Jubeda Begum stated that the minorities especially the Muslim community fail to get any benefit from the numerous beneficiary oriented schemes which are being taken up by the government for the welfare of the minorities. She said, “Muslims here at Moreh are educationally, socially and economically very backward. We know that state government, through the Department of Minorities and Other Backward Classes (MOBC) has taken up many beneficiary oriented economic development programmes for the upliftment of the minority communities. However, we fail to get the benefits of most of the schemes. Only a very few aged here in our village get the old-age pension. Our schools here hardly get the benefits of Sarva Shiksha Scheme, like the free school uniforms and learning kits. The State government should give special attention on the minority communities living in this remote area.”
President of MMC said, “As we inhabit at the periphery of the State it is very difficult for us to approach the government officials sitting at Imphal. Moreover the uneducated Muslims here are least aware of the schemes taken up for the welfare of the minorities and do not know the official procedures and channels to get the benefits.”
Later few resource-persons informed the general public about the various welfare schemes which are being taken up by the Department of MOBC and Department of Social Welfare. Addressing the function, Secretary of MSMC, Dr. Raheijuddin Sheikh spoke at length on the rights of minorities and the various schemes taken up the Central and State government for the welfare of the minority communities, procedures of applying for the schemes, functions and activities of Minorities Commission in the State, the Prime-Minister’s 15-Point Programme, etc.
MA Salam, in his speech, stated the importance of education in the development of the minority communities in Moreh. He also highlighted some of the main features of the Right to Education Act. He also stressed the need of modernizing the madrasa at Muslim Nagar by taking the help of the madrasa modernizing scheme taken up by the government. He also emphasized the need for holding such awareness programmes in the remote areas of the State to make the public aware of the activities of the government.
Addressing the audience, Assistant news-editor of Dordarshan Kendra Imphal, Chabungbam Birendra highlighted the economic hardship of the Muslim community in Moreh, and the sufferings of the Muslim women who earn their livelihood as potters at the Indo-Myanmar border market. He appealed to the State government to take up measures to ameliorate their economic condition.
In his speech, Minister Md. Abdul Nasir said he had noted all the complaints made by the minority communities of Moreh. All the issues will be discussed with the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister will take up the necessary steps to improve the condition of the minorities in this area, he added. Chief Minister, O. Ibobi is in-charge of Department of MOBC.
Chairperson of MSMC, A Halim Chowdhury emphasized the shortage of staff of the Commission in his presidential speech. He said, “MSMC was established in 2004 as a one-man commission in which he was nominated as the Chairperson and continuing to hold the post till date, along with one Secretary under utilization basis and two staff members only. The Commission became a statutory body with the enactment of the Manipur State Minorities Commission Act, 2010 with the induction of two more staff. However, there is no adequate increase in the staff strength till date. Due to the shortage of official staff the Commission faces many difficulties in efficient functioning. Chief Minister had assured the Commission to increase the staff during Minorities Rights Day function last year.” He drew the attention of the Chief Minister to take up the due process of increasing the staff of the Commission.
Booklets containing Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme and leaflet containing some of the main provisions of RTE Act were distributed to the public gathered at the function.
The programme ended with a Quiz programme for students on the theme “Let’s learn and live together.” Students of the schools at Moreh took part in the programme. Dr. Raheijuddin Sheikh conducted the Quiz programme. Cash prizes were distributed to the participants.
Moreh, an important trade route between India and Myanmar, lays 110 kms from Imphal. The Central government, under the Look-East Policy, takes Moreh as the Gateway to South-East Asia. Moreh, often referred to as mini-India, is inhabited by numerous ethnic and religious communities – Kuki, Meitei, Tamil, Nepali, Manipuri Muslim, Sikh and Marwari. As per the Census of 2011 the population of Moreh is 16,000. There are around 400 Manipuri Muslim households concentrated in Muslim Nagar. Most of these Muslims earn their livelihood doing small business, while many are engaged in various forms of menial works. Besides the Manipuri Muslims there are around 90 South Indian Muslim households, mostly Tamil Muslims.