By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi: Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, presenting the Budget 2008-09 in the Lok Sabha on 29th February, announced the speedy implementation of the recommendations of the Sachar Committee.
He also announced continuation of schemes for scholarships to minority students, modernization of madrasa education and implementation of the prime minister’s 15-point pro¬gram for minorities.
In the bud¬get, Rs 1,000 crore has been earmarked for the implementation of the Sachar Committee recommendations, against Rs 500 crore last year. The amount has been doubled as 2008 will be the first year when all schemes drawn up in the light of the Sachar Committee report will be implemented. The fund will be spent by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The government has also allocated Rs 3,780 crore for a multi-sectoral development plan for 90 districts with Muslim concentration. Of the amount, Rs 540 crore will be sanctioned for 2008-09 financial year.
Chi¬dambaram said more candidates from minorities will be recruited in central paramilitary forces. He announced a pre-matric schol¬arship scheme with an allocation of Rs 80 crore and a scheme for modernising madrasa education with Rs 45.45 crore. The corpus for Maulana Azad Education Foundation has been raised to Rs 60 crore. To facilitate bank credit for minorities, the government announced a plan to open 288 more bank branch¬es in districts with minority concentration by March 2008. A total of 256 branches of public sector banks have already opened in such areas. Besides, an additional eq¬uity of Rs 75 crore has been made for the National Mi¬norities Development and Fi¬nance Corporation.