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 Minorities welfare announcements
The
Milli Gazette Online
24 June 2006
New Delhi: The
Union Cabinet today gave its approval to the Prime Minister's New 15 Point
Programme for welfare of minorities. The Programme covers the following
points:
A. Enhancing
opportunities for Education
i) Equitable availability of ICDS Services
ii) Improving access to School Education
iii) Greater resources for teaching Urdu
iv) Modernizing Madarsa Education
v) Scholarship for meritorious students from minority communities
vi) Improving educational infrastructure through the Maulana Azad
Education Foundation.
B. Equitable Share
in Economic Activities and Employment
vii)
Self-Employment and Wage Employment for the poor.
vii) Upgradation of skills through technical training
ix) Enhanced credit support for economic activities
x) Recruitment to State and Central Services
C. Improving the conditions of living of minorities
xi) Equitable share in rural housing scheme
xii) Improvement in condition of slums inhabited by minority communities.
D. Prevention &
Control of Communal Riots
xiii) Prevention of communal
incidents
xiv) Prosecution for communal offences
xv) Rehabilitation of victims of communal riots
The Cabinet has
also decided that 15% of the funds may be earmarked wherever possible in
relevant schemes / programmes, for the nationally declared minorities.
The 15 Point
Programme has been recast to focus action sharply on issues intimately
linked with the social, educational and economic uplift of minorities and
provide for earmarking of outlays in certain schemes so that the progress
is monitorable.
BACKGROUND:
The existing 15 Point Programme
for the Welfare of minorities was formulated in May, 1983. It covered 15
different aspects for action, commonly known as the "Prime Minister's
15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities". These points were
reiterated by the then Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, in his letter
dated August 28th, 1985 addressed to all Chief Ministers.
The original
15-point programme
Indira Gandhi as
Prime Minister wrote the following letter on 11 May 1983 to the Home
Minister and sent its copies to all Members of the Council of Ministers
regarding the problems of minorities:
“The increase of
communalism in recent months and the large number of attacks on the lives
and properties of minorities is cause for deep sorrow. These incidents are
a blot on the good name of our country. They have been deliberately
created by militant communal elements who do not hesitate to sacrifice the
strength and security of the country for their own narrow nefarious ends.
“From my earliest
childhood I have been committed to the secular ideal. The India of our
dreams can survive and prosper only if Muslims and other minorities can
live in absolute safety and confidence. Since the meeting of the
Integration Council, in Srinagar, several measures have been suggested
from time to time. But perhaps because the situation had improved, some
slackness crept in and there is need to take new initiatives to combat
this growth of communalism and to prevent and deal promptly and firmly
with communal tension. We must devise mechanisms by which the conscience
and political power of the entire nation are enlisted to deal with such
situations.
“I have met
several delegations of Members of Parliament and other representatives of
Muslim and other minority groups and have discussed measures to prevent
the recurrence of communal violence and to improve the economic conditions
of minorities. After careful consideration of the suggestions which
emerged I have decided that immediate action should be taken as indicated
below:
I. Communal Riots
“The State Governments are being
advised that in the areas which have identified as communally sensitive
and riot prone, District and Police officials of the highest known
efficiency, impartiality and secular record must be posted. In such areas
and even elsewhere, the prevention of communal tension should be one of
the primary duties of DM and SP. Their performances in this regard should
be an important factor in determining their promotion prospects.
“Good work done
in this regard by District and Police official should be rewarded.
Severe action
should be taken against all those who incite communal tensions or take
part in violence.
Special courts or
courts specifically earmarked to try communal offenses should be set up so
that offenders are brought to book speedily.
“Victims of
communal riots should be given immediate relief and provided prompt and
adequate financial assistance for their rehabilitation.
“Radio and TV
must also help in restoring confidence, communal harmony and peace in such
affected areas.
"It is
unfortunate that certain sections of the press sometimes indulge in
tendentious reporting and publication of objectionable and inflammatory
material, which may incite communal tension. I hope that editors,
printers, publishers and other concerned will co-operate in finding a way
to avoid publication of such material.
II. Recruitment
to State and Central Services
“In the recruitment of police personnel, State Governments should be
advised to give special consideration to minorities. For this purpose, the
composition of Selection Committees should be representative.
“The Central
Government should take similar action in the recruitment of personnel to
the Central Police Forces.
“Large-scale
employment opportunities are provided by the Railways, Nationalised Banks
and Public Sector Enterprises. In these cases also the concerned
departments should ensure that special consideration is given to
recruitment from minority communities.
"In many areas
recruitment is done through competitive examinations. Often minority
groups have been handicapped in taking advantage of the educational system
to compete on equal terms in such examinations. To help them to overcome
these handicaps, steps should be taken to encourage the starting of
coaching classes in minority educational institutions to train persons to
compete successfully in these examinations.
“The acquisition
of technical skills by those minorities who are today lagging behind would
also help in national development. Arrangements should be made to set up
it is and Polytechnics by Government or private agencies in predominantly
minority areas to encourage admission in such institutions of adequate
number of persons belonging to these communities.
III. Other Measures
“In various development
programmes, including the 20-Point Programme, care should be taken to see
that minorities secure in a fair and adequate measure the benefits flowing
therefrom. In the various committees which are set up to oversee the
implementation of such programmes, members of those communities should be
actively involved.
“Apart from the general issues to which
I have referred, there are various local problems which develop into
needless irritants to minorities. For instance encroachment of Wakf
properties and on graveyards have led to protest and grievances in some
places. Suitable steps should be taken to deal with such problems on an
expenditure and satisfactory basis.
“Problems relating to minorities need to
be attended to on a continuing basis so that apprehensions are allayed and
genuine grievances redressed. To facilitate this, a special cell will be
created in the Ministry of Home Affairs to deal with matters relating to
minorities.
Some other measures are also under
consideration. Decisions on them will be announced as early as possible. I
am sure that the measures that I have indicated above and others which
will be announced shortly, will facilitate the full participation of
Muslims and other minority groups in all aspects of national life and thus
promote the cause of national integration.
I would like to receive from you a special
report every quarter on the results of action taken to implement the above
decisions.
Sd/-
INDIRA GANDHI
11.5.1983
Home Minister
Copy to:
All Members of the Council of Ministers
Cabinet Secretary
Copy also endorsed to :
All Chief Ministers of States/UTs.
Source: http://ncm.nic.in/html/fr_pmprog.html
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