Prime Minister’s New 15
Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities..!
(A) Enhancing opportunities for Education..!
(1)
Equitable availability of ICDS Services..!
The
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is aimed at holistic development
of children and pregnant/lactating mothers from disadvantaged sections, by
providing services through Anganwadi Centres such as supplementary nutrition,
immunization, health check-up, referral services, pre-school and non-formal
education.
A certain
percentage of the ICDS projects and Anganwadi Centres will be located in
blocks/villages with a substantial population of minority communities to ensure
that the benefits of this scheme are equitably available to such communities
also.
(2)
Improving access to School Education..!
Under the
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme, and other
similar Government schemes, it will be ensured that a certain percentage of all
such schools are located in villages/localities having a substantial population
of minority communities.
(3)
Greater resources for teaching Urdu..!
Central
assistance will be provided for recruitment and posting of Urdu language
teachers in primary and upper primary schools that serve a population in which
at least one-fourth belong to that language group.
4)
Modernizing Madarsa Education..!
The
Central Plan Scheme of Area Intensive and Madarsa Modernization Programme
provides basic educational infrastructure in areas of concentration of
educationally backward minorities and resources for the modernization of
Madarsa education. Keeping in view the importance of addressing this need, this
programme will be substantially strengthened and implemented effectively.
(5)
Scholarships for meritorious students from minority communities
Schemes
for pre-matric and post- matric scholarships for students from minority
communities will be formulated and implemented.
(6)
Improving educational infrastructure through the Maulana Azad Education
Foundation
The
Government shall provide all possible assistance to Maulana Azad Education
Foundation (MAEF) to strengthen and enable it to expand its activities
more effectively.
(B) Equitable Share in Economic Activities and Employment
(7)
Self-Employment & Wage Employment for the poor..!
(a)
The Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY), the primary self-employment
programme for rural areas, has the objective of bringing assisted poor rural
families above the poverty line by providing them income generating assets
through a mix of bank credit and Governmental subsidy.
A
certain percentage of the physical and financial targets under the SGSY will be
earmarked for beneficiaries belonging to the minority communities living below
the poverty line in rural areas.
(b) The Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rojgar
Yojana (SJSRY) consists of two major components namely, the Urban
Self-Employment Programme (USEP) and the Urban Wage Employment Programme
(UWEP). A certain percentage of the physical and financial targets under USEP
and UWEP will be earmarked to benefit people below the poverty line from the
minority communities.
(c)
The Sampurna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) is aimed at providing additional wage
employment in rural areas alongside the creation of durable community, social
and economic infrastructure. Since the National Rural Employment Guarantee
Programme (NREGP) has been launched in 200 districts, and SGRY has been merged
with NREGP in these districts, in the remaining districts, a certain percentage
of the allocation under SGRY will be earmarked for beneficiaries belonging to
the minority communities living below the poverty line till these districts are
taken up under NREGP. Simultaneously, a certain percentage of the allocation
will be earmarked for the creation of infrastructure in such villages, which
have a substantial population of minorities.
(8)
Upgradation of skills through technical training..!
A very
large proportion of the population of minority communities is engaged in
low-level technical work or earns its living as handicraftsmen. Provision of
technical training to such people would upgrade their skills and earning
capability. Therefore, a certain proportion of all new ITIs will be located in
areas predominantly inhabited by minority communities and a proportion of
existing ITIs to be upgraded to ‘Centres of Excellence’ will be selected on the
same basis.
(9)
Enhanced credit support for economic activities..!
(a)The
National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) was set up in
1994 with the objective of promoting economic development activities among the
minority communities. The Government is committed to strengthen the NMDFC by
providing it greater equity support to enable it to fully achieve its
objectives.
(b)
Bank credit is essential for creation and sustenance of self-employment
initiatives. A target of 40% of net bank credit for priority sector lending has
been fixed for domestic banks. The priority sector includes, inter alia,
agricultural loans, loans to small-scale industries & small business, loans
to retail trade, professional and self-employed persons, education loans,
housing loans and micro-credit. It will be ensured that an appropriate
percentage of the priority sector lending in all categories is targeted for the
minority communities.
(10)
Recruitment to State & Central Services..!
(a)
In the recruitment of police personnel, State Governments will be advised to
give special consideration to minorities. For this purpose, the composition of
selection committees should be representative.
(b)
The Central Government will take similar action in the recruitment of personnel
to the Central police forces.
(c)
Large scale employment opportunities are provided by the Railways, nationalized
banks and public sector enterprises. In these cases also, the concerned
departments will ensure that special consideration is given to recruitment from
minority communities.
(d) An exclusive scheme will be
launched for candidates belonging to minority communities to provide coaching
in government institutions as well as private coaching institutes with
credibility.
(C) Improving the conditions of living of minorities
(11)
Equitable share in rural housing scheme..!
The
Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) provides financial assistance for shelter to the rural
poor living below the poverty line.
A certain
percentage of the physical and financial targets under IAY will be earmarked
for poor beneficiaries from minority communities living in rural
(12)
Improvement in condition of slums inhabited by minority communities...!
Under the
schemes of Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) and
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the Central
Government provides assistance to States/UTs for development of urban slums
through provision of physical amenities and basic services.
It would
be ensured that the benefits of these programmes flow equitably to members of
the minority communities and to cities/slums, predominantly inhabited by
minority communities.
(D) Prevention & Control of Communal Riots
(13)
Prevention of communal incidents..!
In the
areas, which have been 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 the district magistrate and superintendent of police.
Their performances in this regard should be an important factor in determining
their promotion prospects.
(14)
Prosecution for communal offences..!
Severe
action should be taken against all those who incite communal tension or take
part in violence. Special court or courts specifically earmarked to try
communal offences should be set up so that offenders are brought to book
speedily.
(15)
Rehabilitation of victims of communal riots..!
Victims
of communal riots should be given immediate relief and provided prompt and
adequate financial assistance for their rehabilitation.
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