In an attempt to draw closer to minorities, the BJP-led governments - at the state and the centre - want to implement their agendas for the upliftment of minorities.
In an attempt to draw closer to minorities, the BJP-led governments - at the state and the centre - want to implement their agendas for the upliftment of minorities.
The state government is working on a 10-point agenda, which is expected to have issues like modernisation of madrasas, construction of hostels for minority students, special infrastructure development projects in minority-dominated areas and so on.
Whereas, the programme being prepared for the state by the central minority affairs ministry is also likely to have a 15-point agenda. So besides its own plan, the state minority department has to ensure the implementation of this as well.
Minister for minority affairs, Eknath Khadse, who is expected to make the announcement soon, claimed that the idea was proposed by prime minister Narendra Modi to the minority affairs minister of every state.
“An important aim of the new programme is to make sure that benefits of various government schemes for the underprivileged reach the disadvantaged sections of minority communities,” said Khadse.
The Centre's 15-point agenda provides, among other things, for a teargeted approach to ensuring that 15% of all the benefits of public welfare schemes reaches the minorities. Sources in the department said the government is also likely to earmark a fix percentage of the funds given to villages towards infrastructure for improving development in minority-dominated areas.
Reliable sources also revealed that the department is working out a scheme for modernisation of madrasas, as one of the key focuses of the programme is to promote education that leads to employment. The department is also looking into setting up hostels for minority students, specifically women. Further, there are plans to provide higher technical training to minority students to help them get better job opportunities.
“The emphasis of the programme is on communal peace and harmony through appropriate measures, and ensuring a reasonable representation of minorities in the government, including the public sector,” said Khadse.
However, the Centre's plan makes it clear that the new programme does not envisage any change or relaxation of any criteria, norms or eligibility conditions in any scheme for minorities.
Main objectives of the minorites-centric programme:
a) Enhancing opportunities for education
b) Ensuring an equitable share in economic activities and employment through existing and new schemes, enhanced credit support for self-employment, and recruitment to state and central government jobs
c) Improving living conditions by ensuring an appropriate share for them in infrastructure development schemes
d) Prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence
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