Rejecting claims that the Sachar panel recommendations were ignored, PM Manmohan Singh has said the govt had launched several minority welfare schemes based on the suggestions and the same were showing good results.
“I have often heard people say that the government has not implemented the recommendations of the Sachar Committee, I wish to state here today that this is not true,” he said addressing a conference of Dalits and minorities in New Delhi on Thursday.
Dr. Singh said the government had launched several schemes acting on the recommendations of the Sachar Committee and the same initiatives were bringing about a change in the situation of minorities.
There has been an increase in the recruitment of minorities in government jobs, security forces and banking services, he said, adding the loans for such communities in priority sector has also risen from nine per cent to 15 per cent in the past four years.
The Prime Minister listed out a number of schemes launched by his government for the welfare of minorities and weaker sections.
Lauding entrepreneurs from the SC/ST communities, Dr. Singh said the government has decided to give primacy to them in procurements made by the State.
He also asked those present to highlight the achievements and successes of the weaker sections in various fields which would inspire the new generation to contribute to development of the nation.
Recently, the Prime Minister said the government had announced a Rs 3884 crore loan waiver scheme for the handloom sector which employs a large number of weavers from the minority and scheduled caste community.
“This economic package is expected to benefit nearly three lakh individual weavers and 15,000 cooperative societies,” he said.
Besides, he said the government has also announced a separate package for handloom weavers which entails an expenditure of Rs 2362 crore in the 12th five year plan.
The Prime Minister said the government has also made a provision of 4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities within the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs.”We hope that these efforts will help improve the conditions of the socio-economically weaker sections of the society,” Dr. Singh said.
He listed the annual 40 lakh scholarships for students from minority communities and the multi-sectoral development programme for 90 minority-concentration districts as the two key initiatives of the UPA government.
Addressing the conference, LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan demanded reservation in private sector jobs and the judiciary.
He wanted the government to start a separate Indian Judicial Service in which reservations could be provided for the weaker sections of the society.
Paswan also thanked the Prime Minister for reinstating the minority quota in the Lokpal Bill.