Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said that the Government was exploring the possibility of providing reservation for minorities in educational institutions and government jobs. He was addressing a conference of State Minorities Commissions, organised by the National Minorities Commission, in New Delhi today.
New Delhi, Jan 16 : Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said that the Government was exploring the possibility of providing reservation for minorities in educational institutions and government jobs. He was addressing a conference of State Minorities Commissions, organised by the National Minorities Commission, in New Delhi today.
Shivraj Patil pointed out that there was already reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in educational institutions and government jobs and now demand is coming from minorities also.
Patil said it was one of the tasks of the government to protect minorities. There were many plans and funds were earmarked for the upliftment of the minorities but the manpower was not enough to implement them.
"I am not sure whether we have the machinery to implement these plans and whether the training required for implementing them is available," he said.
National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Chairperson M S Qureshi said that the Government is trying hard to give its best efforts but the benefits of the schemes are not reaching the minorities.
"The eleventh plan document is a laudable attempt to set right the deficiencies in empowering the minorities. But it is disappointing to note that the recommendation of the commission to create a minority sub-plan does not find a place in the document," he said.
Qureshi said that the National Commission for Minorities should have the power to investigate complaints of discrimination and deprivation of rights of minorities.
"If the Commission has to play a proactive role for the benefit of the minority communities, its finances and manpower have to be increased," he added.
ANI