New Delhi, March 16: No decision has yet been taken on the recommendations of the Justice Rajinder Sachar and Ranganath Misra Committee reports regarding reservation of seats for minorities in jobs and educational institutions, Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed informed the Rajya Sabha.
Replying to a discussion on the working of his Ministry, Mr Khursheed said yesterday though states like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had already begun implementing this scheme, the Ministry was yet to take a comprehensive view on the matter. “We are deliberating on the issue very seriously,” he told the members.
“Our society is like a bouquet of flowers and minorities were very much part of this bouquet,” he said, adding that he would be the happiest person if there was no discrimination and his ministry became redundant.
Responding to the issues raised by various Members, he said minority development programmes were being implemented in 90 districts having a population of more than 25 per cent Muslims.
There were demands that this figure be brought down to 15 per cent but no view had been taken by the Government so far.
There were heated exchanges between Mr Khursheed and the BJP benches when he referred to riots in Gujarat. However, the Chair intervened to calm the situation.
Mr Khursheed said under the 15-point programme, Rs 12,000 crore had been earmarked for the minority sector lending. About 42,000 to 45,000 lakh scholarships at the pre-matric and matric levels had been made available and of the 18,000 such scholarships under the Maulana Azad scheme, 40 to 42 per cent were to girls.
He expressed satisfaction that enrolment drive was up in the Muslim community. On disputed wakf property, the Minister said there were 123 disputed properties in Delhi and the Government was trying to resolve the issue. He sought the assistance of MPs to help in this matter wherever wakf properties were disputed, saying the process of restructuring was under formulation.
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UNI