Urban development department to develop five Muslim dominated areas in Mumbai and 10 such in Maharashtra.
In a good news for minority dominated areas, the Maharashtra government has asked the Urban development department to identify five Muslim dominated areas in Mumbai and 10 such areas in rest of Maharashtra that lack basic urban facilities like roads, water, sewerage etc. The department has been asked to provide all facilities in these areas as part of government's newly launched scheme that aims at social integration of minority community by improving their financial, social and educational scenario. Sources said this would be an annual feature and every year 15 minority dominated areas will be picked up for civic work.
The scheme has picked up several departments — urban development, education, higher and technical education, skill and development, women and child development and health – who have been assigned specific guidelines vis-à-vis minority community.
The scheme has also asked education department to introduce Urdu as an optional subject in at least 100 government schools. "There is demand for a lot of people wanting to learn Urdu language but it is not taught in most government schools. Under this scheme if 20 and more students are willing to learn the language the government will provide for a teacher," said a senior officer.
Interestingly, as first step towards "deradicalisation of Muslim youth" the scheme which was earlier named as "deradicalsation of Muslim youth" has been left unnamed now. Sources claim that chief minister was apprised of repercussions of the name of the scheme which suggested that the entire 'Muslim youth' is radicalised. For now, the scheme launched a day before Eid has been launched aiming at improving financial, social, and education scenario of Youth belonging to minority community to promote harmony in society.
Finding a direct link between growing radicalization and sense of alienation/discontent amongst youth of minority community, the Maharashtra government's home department had conceived the idea to bring Muslims into the mainstream. It was conceived around June 2015 after a couple of Muslim boys were caught on their way to join ISIS. The scheme, however, was handed over to the minority department midway due to implementation technicalities.
Minority scheme guidelines for selected departments:
School education and sports department:-
- Prepare a plan to reduce drop out of minority students from schools from Class V onwards. The project plan to be implemented in four minority dominated districts of Maharashtra—Hingoli, Yavatmal, Buldhana and Washim.
- Encourage Muslim families to send their children to government schools
- Ensure easy availability of Urdu text books in market.
- Simplify scholarship norms to encourage more and more minority students to avail them
- Math's and science teachers to be appointed in Urdu schools
- Marathi teachers/classes be provided in Urdu schools to help students integrate into mainstream government schools at a later stage
- Construct toilets in girls government schools in minority dominated areas
- Hold workshops to encourage Muslim youth to participate in sports
Higher and technical education department
- To start new Science, commerce and arts colleges in Muslim dominated areas
- To start special second shift for minority students in government polytechnic
Urban Development Department
- To identify five Muslim dominated areas in Mumbai and 10 such areas in rest of Maharashtra that lack basic urban facilities like roads, water, sewerage etc. and provide them with all urban facilities
- To address the sewerage and gutter leak problems in all minority dominated areas
- To improve water supply in minority dominated areas such as Mumbra where water supply is extremely scarce
Skill development
- All ITI's to start second and third shifts for minority students
- To construct new it is for minority concentrated areas
Women and Child development department
- To start more Anagnwadis in minority areas
- Employee at least one women from minority dominated areas in these Anganwadis
Public Health department
- Ensure appointment of at least one female gynecologist in primary health centers situated in minority areas
- Increase the numbers of Asha Sevika (trained women who work as an interface between the community and the public health system) in minority dominated areas
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