Based on the recommendations of the National Advisory Council (NAC) the
Ministry of Minority Affairs has proposed to implement the following new
schemes in the 12th Five Year Plan towards inclusive development to empower the
minorities:
(i)
Interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies scheme for the
students belonging to minority communities with the objective of providing
financial assistance by way of extending interest subsidy on education loans to
students of minority communities for
pursuing higher studies abroad;
(ii) Free bicycle for Girl
Students of Class IX with the objective of retention of minority girl students
from Class IX onwards;
(iii) Support for students
clearing Prelims Conducted by UPSC/SSC, State Public Service Commission (PSC)
etc. with the objective to support candidates from the minority communities who qualify at the preliminary Examinations
conducted by Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), State Public Service Commissions
(PSCs) etc. to improve their representation in government services;
(iv) Scheme for promotion of
education in 100 minority concentration towns/cities having substantial minority population,
for empowering the minorities. This would be in the form of providing
infrastructure for various levels of schools, including teaching aids and also
for up-gradation and construction of infrastructure for skill and vocational education along with
hostel facility;
(v) Village development
programme for villages not covered by minority concentration blocks (MCBs)/
minority concentration districts(MCDs)
to address the development needs for 1000 villages inhabited by minority
communities but falling outside the selected
minority concentration districts. The main objective of the scheme is to provide
infrastructure for socio-economic development and basic amenities;
(vi) Support to Districts
Level institution in MCDs to give financial support for setting up and running
district level institutions for minority welfare in Minority Concentration Districts;
and
(vii) Skill Development
Initiatives to enhance employment and livelihood skills of minorities by providing skills and
skills up-gradation to the minority communities.
Earlier, the National
Advisory Council had submitted its report titled “Towards Inclusive
Development to Empower Minorities” with the following major recommendations:
(i)
For implementation of
the Multi sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) and Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme, rural
and urban areas with a high concentration of minorities should be the Unit of Planning with focus on
access to basic services such as ICDS services, clean drinking water,
individual sanitation, sewerage and drainage;
(ii) Formal engagement of
non- governmental organizations (NGOs) in all the Minority Concentration
Districts for monitoring and mandatory social audits;
(iii) Substantially enhancing allocation for MsDP in 12th Plan;
(iv) Revision of MsDP
guidelines to ensure that need based proposals have synergy with the 15- Point
Programme rather than duplication;
(v) Establishment of a credible data bank on an
urgent basis for operationalisation of the Assessment
and Monitoring Agency;
(vi) Expansion of the 15 Point
Programme to include schemes such as small and medium industries, youth
affairs, agriculture;
(vii) Scholarships Schemes: a) Make the Pre-Matric
scholarships a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme ; b) Make the Pre- matric and Post- matric
scholarship Schemes demand – driven and
universal schemes; c) Increase the scholarship amount for Post- Matric scholarships with rationalized and differing
scholarship structure for different categories (10+2, Basic Degree Courses,
Professional Degree Courses); d) Increase amount and number of Merit-cum- means
and Maulana Azad National Fellowships; e) Ensure a
radical simplification of procedures at all levels to make schemes accessible
to those who need them most; and
(viii) Establish residential
social welfare hostels for minority children from class VI to XII and
residential schools in minorities blocks and
towns/cities.
