Minority development in Budget 2009
A number of schemes included under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, such as IDMI and SPQEM got better allocation this fiscal. New schemes under the head of Welfare of Minorities have also been introduced.
IN THE wake of acceptance of recommendations of the Sachar Committee Report, it was expected that P Chidambarm’ budget presentation in March 2007, would make some special provisions for Muslims leading to their mainstreaming in the development process. A lot of anguish has been expressed over this and the community has pressurised policymakers to come out with some concrete proposals. The United Progressive Alliance government has strived to fulfill the hopes of the community since then. The present budget estimates, tabled by the current Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for the term 2009-10, goes a step further. It not only enhances allocations over the previous budget, but also introduces new schemes under the head of 'Welfare of Minorities'.
Under items 53 and 54, the budget reads:
53. The Plan outlay of Ministry of Minority Affairs has been enhanced from Rs1,000 crores in BE 2008-09 to Rs1,740 crore in 2009-10, registering an increase of 74 per cent. This includes Rs990 crores for multi-sectoral development programme for minorities in selected minority concentration districts, grants-in-aid to Maulana Azad Education Foundation, which is almost doubled and provisions for National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation and pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for minorities. Allocations have also been made for the new schemes of national fellowship for students from the minority community and grants-in-aid to the Central WAKF Council for computerisation of records of State WAKF Boards.
53. The Plan outlay of Ministry of Minority Affairs has been enhanced from Rs1,000 crores in BE 2008-09 to Rs1,740 crore in 2009-10, registering an increase of 74 per cent. This includes Rs990 crores for multi-sectoral development programme for minorities in selected minority concentration districts, grants-in-aid to Maulana Azad Education Foundation, which is almost doubled and provisions for National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation and pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for minorities. Allocations have also been made for the new schemes of national fellowship for students from the minority community and grants-in-aid to the Central WAKF Council for computerisation of records of State WAKF Boards.
54. Aligarh Muslim University has decided to establish its campuses at Murshidabad in West Bengal and Malappuram in Kerala. I propose to make an allocation of Rs25 crores each for these two campuses.
Under the head of Female Literacy the budget goes like this:
The low level of female literacy continues to be a matter of grave concern. It has, therefore, been decided to launch a national mission for female literacy, with focus on minorities, SC, ST and other marginalised groups. The aim will be to reduce by half, the current level of female illiteracy, in three years.
Besides, a number of schemes have been included under the ministry of human resource development, such as Infrastructure Development of Minority Institutions (IDMI) and the Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM) which has received a better allocation this fiscal.
In view of the above-mentioned allocations, the following derivations have been made:
Under the head of Female Literacy the budget goes like this:
The low level of female literacy continues to be a matter of grave concern. It has, therefore, been decided to launch a national mission for female literacy, with focus on minorities, SC, ST and other marginalised groups. The aim will be to reduce by half, the current level of female illiteracy, in three years.
Besides, a number of schemes have been included under the ministry of human resource development, such as Infrastructure Development of Minority Institutions (IDMI) and the Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM) which has received a better allocation this fiscal.
In view of the above-mentioned allocations, the following derivations have been made:
- Total allocation for the welfare of minorities has increased by 74 per cent from the previous financial year to the provision of Rs1740 crores
- Major chunk of budgetary allocation for the welfare of minorities would go to Multi-Sectoral Development Programme for Minorities (MSDPM) in selected minority concentration districts, ie, of 990 crore this time
- The budget for pre and post metric scholarship to minority students has also been enhanced, ie, Rs180 crores for pre-metric and Rs63 crores for post metric
- A new scheme of national fellowship for students from the minority community has been announced
- Grants-in-aid to Maulana Azad Education Foundation is almost doubled
- The National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation will also receive an increased amount
- The ongoing IDMI scheme will receive an allocation of Rs4.5 crores
- Rs45 crores has been earmarked for the SPQEM
- Aligarh Muslim University will be supported to open for the first time its off campuses in two Muslim concentration districts, Murshidabad (63.67 per cent) and Mallapuram (68.53 per cent). This will highly benefit local people in acquiring quality education. For this the university receive a budgetary provision of Rs25 crores
- The formation of National Mission for Female Literacy with a focus on minorities, SCs and STs will surely benefit Muslims to a great extent
- The community will also get assisted from all schemes earmarked for people below the poverty line
Although budget provisions for minorities and the Muslim community as a whole satisfy the long-term aspirations of the community, however seeing the size of the minority population and its glaring backwardness they seem meagre and inadequate. The resolve of the ministry of human resources in the previous term of the UPA government for establishing three minority universities each at Ajmer, Gulbarga and Bareilly by creating special WAKF, is missing in the present budget estimates. The extension programme of the AMU needs to be extended to other Muslim-dominated districts, such as Dhubri (74.29 per cent) and Kishanganj (67.58 per cent). This would have required a paltry additional amount of Rs25 crores.
Seeing the illiteracy and poverty levels in the Muslim minority, the one measure that could alleviate the adverse conditions could be to make arrangements for vocational education and skill improvement programmes focused on the youth from the minority community. This would require establishment of a larger number of ITIs and polytechnics in Muslim-dominated areas. However, no special allocation seems to be considered by policymakers.
Moreover, the traditional crafts upheld by Muslims in large numbers for subsistence needs to be technically improved and modernised on the lines of the khadi movement and hence, budgetary mechanisms should be used for ensuring the same as an effective step towards alleviating the poverty of the community. Nevertheless, the budget 2009-10 fulfills major demands for the welfare of the community and now it depends on the government will, a proactive bureaucracy and the die-hard endeavours of Muslim NGOs and community organisations to ensure the fruits of the allocations reach the needy.
Seeing the illiteracy and poverty levels in the Muslim minority, the one measure that could alleviate the adverse conditions could be to make arrangements for vocational education and skill improvement programmes focused on the youth from the minority community. This would require establishment of a larger number of ITIs and polytechnics in Muslim-dominated areas. However, no special allocation seems to be considered by policymakers.
Moreover, the traditional crafts upheld by Muslims in large numbers for subsistence needs to be technically improved and modernised on the lines of the khadi movement and hence, budgetary mechanisms should be used for ensuring the same as an effective step towards alleviating the poverty of the community. Nevertheless, the budget 2009-10 fulfills major demands for the welfare of the community and now it depends on the government will, a proactive bureaucracy and the die-hard endeavours of Muslim NGOs and community organisations to ensure the fruits of the allocations reach the needy.
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