Even as minority politics takes centrestage in the wake of recent riots in Uttar Pradesh, a report by the Council for Social Development says the UPA government has failed to implement the recommendations of the Sachar Committee, with its response to Muslim
deprivation at best being “cautious and minimalist”. Most of the benefits intended for minorities are being cornered by either the majority population or non-Muslim minorities, claims the report.
The report lists misplaced focus of minorityoriented programmes, lack of funds and fear of ‘minority appeasement’ taunts as the reasons for government’s failure to fulfill its promises.
The ‘Social Development Report 2012: Minorities at the Margins’ was prepared by Zoya Hasan, Mushirul Hasan, Tanweer Fazal, Javed Alam Khan and Abusaleh Sharif, among others.
The report says programmes intended to improve school education among Muslims have focused on modernization of madrasas even though only 4% Muslims go there for education. In higher studies, the government has focused on providing assistance to minority institutions rather than expanding the overall education network to include Muslims.
It also mentions the failure of multi-sectoral development programme (MSDP) -- launched after the Sachar Committee’s report -- targeting 90 districts with around 25% Muslim population for infrastructure development through enhanced funding. The report notes that benefits of the scheme reached only 30% of Muslim population in these areas, indicating others have cornered most of the resources. In states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (with high concentration of Muslims), infrastructure projects have been diverted to non-minority areas.
The Reserve Bank of India’s efforts to extend banking and credit facilities to Muslims, a major fallout of the Sachar Committee report which said Muslims were left out of the banking system, has also ended up benefiting non-Muslim minorities whose socio-economic status is comparable to upper caste Hindus, the report says.
“Diffidence at the policy level to clearly focus on Muslim deprivation translates into active reluctance by the implementing agencies on the ground to target the Muslims even in districts with high Muslim concentration,” the report said.
Blaming the minority affairs ministry for such failures, Mushirul Hasan told TOI, “The ministry has become a liability. It is devoid of any ideas and lacks social commitment.” POOR IMPLEMENTATION Minorities get meagre funds for development
New Delhi: Blaming the minority affairs ministry for such failures, Mushirul Hasan told TOI, “The ministry has become a liability. It is devoid of any ideas and lacks social commitment.”
According to the report, both funding and its utilization have been a problem. In the 11th plan, allocation for minorities was 6% of the total outlay with minority affairs ministry’s share being only 0.79%. The report says this is insignificant to address minority development. It also notes that unlike the case for SC/ST, budgetary plans for minorities are not proportional to their population.
Even these funds are not utilized properly. During 2007-2012, state governments did not utilize even half of the allocated funds. Twelve states utilized less than 50% of funds and some states spent only 20%. States such as Bihar, UP, Maharashtra and Assam (all with high concentration of Muslims) were in the category of those that spent less than 50%.
Government’s scholarship scheme for Muslim students has been widely praised, but the report found it to be too little and poorly implemented. While 2.45 crore Muslim students were enrolled up to upper primary level (2009-10 data), the government has provided 24 lakh pre-matric scholarships for minorities, the report says. It also found the scholarship amount of Rs 1,000 too little. While income eligibility criteria for SC/ST to avail scholarship was kept at Rs 2 lakh per annum, for minorities it is only Rs 1 lakh.
deprivation at best being “cautious and minimalist”. Most of the benefits intended for minorities are being cornered by either the majority population or non-Muslim minorities, claims the report.
The report lists misplaced focus of minorityoriented programmes, lack of funds and fear of ‘minority appeasement’ taunts as the reasons for government’s failure to fulfill its promises.
The ‘Social Development Report 2012: Minorities at the Margins’ was prepared by Zoya Hasan, Mushirul Hasan, Tanweer Fazal, Javed Alam Khan and Abusaleh Sharif, among others.
The report says programmes intended to improve school education among Muslims have focused on modernization of madrasas even though only 4% Muslims go there for education. In higher studies, the government has focused on providing assistance to minority institutions rather than expanding the overall education network to include Muslims.
It also mentions the failure of multi-sectoral development programme (MSDP) -- launched after the Sachar Committee’s report -- targeting 90 districts with around 25% Muslim population for infrastructure development through enhanced funding. The report notes that benefits of the scheme reached only 30% of Muslim population in these areas, indicating others have cornered most of the resources. In states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (with high concentration of Muslims), infrastructure projects have been diverted to non-minority areas.
The Reserve Bank of India’s efforts to extend banking and credit facilities to Muslims, a major fallout of the Sachar Committee report which said Muslims were left out of the banking system, has also ended up benefiting non-Muslim minorities whose socio-economic status is comparable to upper caste Hindus, the report says.
“Diffidence at the policy level to clearly focus on Muslim deprivation translates into active reluctance by the implementing agencies on the ground to target the Muslims even in districts with high Muslim concentration,” the report said.
Blaming the minority affairs ministry for such failures, Mushirul Hasan told TOI, “The ministry has become a liability. It is devoid of any ideas and lacks social commitment.” POOR IMPLEMENTATION Minorities get meagre funds for development
New Delhi: Blaming the minority affairs ministry for such failures, Mushirul Hasan told TOI, “The ministry has become a liability. It is devoid of any ideas and lacks social commitment.”
According to the report, both funding and its utilization have been a problem. In the 11th plan, allocation for minorities was 6% of the total outlay with minority affairs ministry’s share being only 0.79%. The report says this is insignificant to address minority development. It also notes that unlike the case for SC/ST, budgetary plans for minorities are not proportional to their population.
Even these funds are not utilized properly. During 2007-2012, state governments did not utilize even half of the allocated funds. Twelve states utilized less than 50% of funds and some states spent only 20%. States such as Bihar, UP, Maharashtra and Assam (all with high concentration of Muslims) were in the category of those that spent less than 50%.
Government’s scholarship scheme for Muslim students has been widely praised, but the report found it to be too little and poorly implemented. While 2.45 crore Muslim students were enrolled up to upper primary level (2009-10 data), the government has provided 24 lakh pre-matric scholarships for minorities, the report says. It also found the scholarship amount of Rs 1,000 too little. While income eligibility criteria for SC/ST to avail scholarship was kept at Rs 2 lakh per annum, for minorities it is only Rs 1 lakh.
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