By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), one of India’s most organized non-profit socio-religious organizations, has come up, in the wake of the heartrending revelations by the Union Government’s Sachar Committee, with a multi-billion-dollar social welfare plan “Vision 2015.”
It is probably the first time since its re-inception in 1948 after India’s Partition that JIH has chalked out a comprehensive long-term plan for public welfare though it has always been involved in social and relief work all through its history. Maybe it is not the main aim, but the plan will certainly widen and expand JIH’s mass base which may prove crucial for its political ambitions.
“Keeping in view the grave situation of Indian Muslims, Social Service Wing (SSW) of JIH has decided to expand its activities manifold to ensure the rapid and sustained uplift and empowerment of the downtrodden and underprivileged sections of the society especially the Indian Muslims,” says the document of Vision 2015.
SSW has finalized a ten-year multi-purpose plan catering to social, economic and educational and medical needs of the underprivileged sections of the society particularly Indian Muslims.
“It is a comprehensive programme aimed at empowering the downtrodden and backward communities to bring them at par with average Indian on educational, social and economic levels,” said K A Siddique Hassan, vice president of JIH, in an exclusive interview on the Vision 2015. To implement the comprehensive programme, JIH wants to form NGOs at national, state and local levels, said Hassan.
Education
On education front, the Vision 2015 talks about launching awareness programmes, opening a network of schools across the country, supporting adult literacy, providing vocational training and helping children with special needs.
Major plans in this area include: an international technical university with the estimated cost of Rs 500 crores, 10 centres of higher learning (Rs 100 crores), 1,000 schools across the country (Rs 100 crores) and at least one student hostel in every state (Rs 60 crore). Besides, SSW will open 10 new Special Schools for the disabled children. Moreover, it will distribute books and uniforms among 10 lac students during the period.
Health
As India is suffering from a lack of basic healthcare which results in death of 11 million children below five every year, SSW has decided to do some concrete on health front.
According to the Vision 2015, JIH will establish one super speciality and 10 speciality hospitals, two medical colleges (one exclusively for girls) and 100 medical centres across the country. SSW will also open 20 blood banks and 10 mobile medical units. All these projects will cost Rs 2,330 crores.
Economic uplift
The Vision 2015 also talks about income generation means for the poor. SSW will provide interest free business loans, will create job opportunities and provide agriculture training. JIH will open an interest free bank/nonbanking financial company, will extend employment assistance to 20,000 persons and will create job opportunities for 10,000 women. Besides, 125 tailoring and embroidery centers will also be established. On this front about Rs 300 crores will be spent.
Besides the above mentioned plans, the Vision 2015 also talks about projects related to orphan care, emergency and relief and integrated community development.