Prime Minister's New 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of M

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 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) Modernising Madarsa Education

The Central Plan Scheme of Area Intensive and Madarsa Modernisation Programme provides basic educational infrastructure in areas of concentration of educationally backward minorities and resources for the modernisation 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 and 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 Swarnjayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SSRY) 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.

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 and 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 and 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, nationalised 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 Awas 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 areas.

(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 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 performance 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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GUIDELINES

for implementation of Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities

The Hon’ble President, in his address to the Joint Session of Parliament on February 25, 2005, had announced that the Government would recast the 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities with a view to incorporate programme specific interventions. Prime Minister, in his address on the occasion of Independence Day, 2005, announced inter-alia that “We will also revise and revamp the 15 Point Programme for Minorities. The new 15 Point Programme will have definite goals which are to be achieved in a specific time frame”. In pursuance of these commitments, the earlier programme has been revised as the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities. A copy of the programme is enclosed.

2. The objectives of the programme are as follows:-

a) Enhancing opportunities for education.

b) Ensuring an equitable share for minorities in economic activities and employment, through existing and new schemes, enhanced credit support for self-employment, and recruitment to State and Central Government jobs.

c) 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 government, 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, Sikkim, Mizoram and Nagaland. Lakshadweep is the only Union Territory in this group.

8. The new programme 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 programme. 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 proportion of Below Poverty Line (BPL) population of minorities in a particular State/Union Territory to the total BPL population of minorities in the country, subject to the following:-

(a) (i) For schemes applicable exclusively to rural areas, only the ratio relevant to the BPL minority population in rural areas would be considered.

(ii) For schemes applicable exclusively to urban areas, only the ratio relevant to the BPL minority population of urban areas would be considered.

(iii) For others, where such differentiation is not possible, the total would be considered.

(b) For States/UT referred to in para 7 (b), the earmarking will only be for the BPL minorities, other than that in majority.

10. The schemes amenable to such earmarking are the following:-

Point No. (A) Enhancing opportunities for Education

(1) Equitable availability of ICDS Services

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme by providing services through Anganwadi Centres

(2) Improving access to School Education

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme, and other similar Government schemes.

Point No. (B) Equitable Share in Economic Activities and Employment

(7) Self-Employment and Wage Employment for the poor

(a)Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY)

(b) Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY)

(8) Upgradation of skills through technical training

New Industrial training Institutes (ITI) and upgradation of existing ITI.

(9) Enhanced credit support for economic activities

(b) Bank credit under priority sector lending.

Point No. (C) Improving the conditions of living of minorities

(11) Equitable share in rural housing scheme Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY)

(12)Improvement in condition of slums inhabited by minority communities Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)

11. Implementation, Monitoring and Reporting –

A. Ministry/Department Level:

Ministries/Departments implementing the schemes, included in the programme shall continue to implement and monitor these schemes with reference to the physical targets and financial outlays. They are expected to review the progress of the programme on a monthly basis and report the progress of implementation, in respect of the schemes under this programme, on a quarterly basis, by the fifteenth day of next quarter, to the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

B. State/UT Level:

(i) States/UTs are expected to constitute a State Level Committee for Implementation of the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities headed by the Chief Secretary with members consisting of the Secretaries and Heads of Departments implementing the schemes under the 15 Point Programme, representatives from the Panchayati Raj Institutions/Autonomous District Councils, three representatives from reputed non-governmental institutions dealing with minorities and three such other members considered appropriate by the state government/UT administration. The Department dealing with Minorities of the State/UT may be made the nodal department for monitoring the 15 Point Programme. The Committee should meet at least once every quarter and the Department dealing with Minorities of the State/UT may send a quarterly progress reports to the Ministry of Minority Affairs by the 15th day of the next quarter.

(ii) District Level:

Similarly, at the district level, a District Level Committee for Implementation of the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities may be constituted headed by the Collector/Deputy Commissioner of the district, with District level officers of the departments implementing the programme, representatives from the Panchayati Raj Institutions/Autonomous District Councils, and three representatives from reputed institutions dealing with minorities. The District Level Committee shall report progress of implementation to the Department dealing with Minorities of the state government/UT administration for placing it before the State Level Committee.

C. Central Level:

(i) At the central level, the progress of implementation, with reference to targets, will be monitored once in six months by a Committee of Secretaries (COS), and a report will be submitted to the Union Cabinet. The Ministry of Minority Affairs shall be the nodal Ministry to prepare reports in this regard for placing before the COS and the Union Cabinet once in six months. All Ministries/Departments concerned with this programme shall submit quarterly reports to the Ministry of Minority Affairs by the 15th day of the next quarter.

(ii) There shall be a Review Committee for the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of the Minorities headed by Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, with nodal officers from all the Ministries/Department concerned

which shall meet at least once every quarter to review the progress, obtain feedback and resolve problems and provide clarifications, as might be needed.

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