Minority Benefits

Author(s): Babita Jain
Publisher: Shrut Samvardhan Samsthan

Page 24

Improving the conditions of living of minorities by ensuring an appropriate
share for them in infrastructure development schemes. d) Prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence. 3. An important aim of the new programme is to ensure that the benefits of various
government schemes for the underprivileged reach the disadvantaged sections of the minority communities. The underprivileged among the minorities are, of course, included in the target groups of various government schemes. But in order to ensure that the benefits of these schemes flow equitably to minorities, the new programme envisages location of a certain proportion of development projects in minority concentration areas. It also provides that, wherever possible, 15% of targets and
outlays under various schemes should be earmarked for minorities. 4. The emphasis of the programme on the maintenance of communal peace and
harmony, through appropriate measures, and ensuring a reasonable representation of minorities in governrnent, including the public sector, remains as emphatic as ever
and these continue to be important constituents of the new programme. 5. The programme does not envisage any change or relaxation of any criteria, norms
or eligibility conditions in any scheme for minorities. These would continue to be as
provided for in the original schemes included in the programme. 6. The term 'substantial minority population in the 15 Point Programme applies to
such districts/sub-district units where at least 25% of the total population of that unit
belongs to minority communities. 7. (a) The target group of the programme consists of the eligible sections among the
minorities notified under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities
Act, 1992, viz, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs. Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis). (b) In States, where one of the minority communities notified under Section 2 (c)
of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 is, in fact, in majority, the earmarking of physical/financial targets under different schemes will be only for the other notified minorities. These states are Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland. Lakshadweep is the only Union Territory in
this group. 8. The new programune will be implemented by Central Ministries/Departments
concerned through State Governments/Union Territories. Each Ministry/Department concerned shall appoint a nodal officer, not below the rank of a Joint Secretary to Government of India, for this prograrnme. The Ministry of Minority Affairs shall be
the nodal Ministry for this programme. 9. Physical Targets and Financial Outlays:
Considering the complexity of the programme and its wide reach, wherever possible, Ministries/Departments concerned will earmark 15 percent of the physical targets and financial outlays for minorities. These will be distributed between States/UTs on the basis of the
fittinority Benefits