Centre carries out a religion-based survey

NEW DELHI: Undeterred by the BJP’s criticism, the Centre is preparing religion-based demographic statistics aimed at smooth execution of minority welfare schemes.
The move comes in the wake of the Sachar report on economic and social condition of Muslims in the country.  Sources in the Minority Affairs Ministry said the compilation of minority statistics being drawn from the latest census figures would help the government identify areas that require greater flow of funds aimed to uplift of different minority groups. The data, the sources added, would be distributed to different departments to enable them to ensure welfare funds for minorities reached the targeted sections. “Areas, for example, with more than 25 per cent of minority population will be then prioritised for fund flow,” a source said.

“The whole idea behind this exercise is to ensure a majority of minority groups are effectively benefited from a variety of government schemes for their welfare.”

The Ministry, which has announced that the Sachar committee report would be implemented in toto, however, has set no time-frame for drawing up the minority demographic map, the sources said. Last year, the ruling UPA came under fire from the BJP as news reports suggested plans were underway to carry out enumeration of Muslims in the armed forces. The plan was subsequently dropped.