The GoM will look at the recommendations made by the Ranganath Mishra Commission report, which suggested reservation for minorities, besides SC status to Muslim and Christian Dalits.
A group of ministers (GoM) has been constituted for recommendations on the jurisdiction powers of the proposed Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC). The GoM includes 11 cabinet ministers.
The GoM members are AK Antony (defence minister), P Chidambaram (home affairs), Mamta Banerjee (railways), Veerappa Moily (law), Malikarjun Kharge (labour and employement), Kapil Sibal (human resources development), Anand Sharma (commerce), Kumari Selja (housing and urban poverty alleviation), Mukul Wasnik (social justice and empowerment), Kantilal Bhuria (tribal affairs), and Montek Singh Ahluwalia (deputy chairman, Planning Commission).
Among the special invitees to the GoM are minister of state for minority affairs Salman Khursheed and minister of state for women and child development Krishna Tirath.
“The GoM has been constituted keeping in mind the intricacies of affirmative action required for the minorities in different sectors. The Cabinet ministers will suggest ways for providing opportunities in their sectors to the weaker sections of society,” said a source familiar with the development.
After the GoM gives its recommendation, the Union Cabinet will consider the EOC proposal. Once cleared by the Cabinet, the draft bill will be tabled in Parliament.
The government proposal on Equal Opportunity Commission had hit a roadblock as various political parties had objected to its formation, citing clash of interests and jurisdiction powers between the EOC and other existing commissions for minorities.
Khursheed has been backing the idea of having an EOC, reasoning that its powers and work area would be different from those of the existing minority affairs commissions at different levels.
The recently-constituted GoM is expected to look at the recommendations made by the Ranganath Mishra Commission report, which suggested reservation for minorities, besides SC status to Muslim and Christian Dalits.
The EOC proposal was mooted by the Sachar Committee whose report was first tabled in Parliament in November 2006.
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