New Delhi: The Centre on Friday spelt out its action plan on the Sachar Committee recommendations, a day after the Union Cabinet approved the report.
Explaining the government's proposed action plan on the recommendations, the Government said targeted intervention was proposed for the improvement of basic amenities and to create employment opportunities in 90 identified minority concentration districts, which are backward in terms of various developmental parameters.
Steps will also be taken to improve civic amenities and for economic opportunities in 338 identified towns and cities with a substantial population of minorities, including Muslims. An inter-ministerial task force is already working on this to recommend appropriate strategies in this regard.
The Sachar Committee was set up under the chairmanship of Justice Rajindar Sachar to prepare a report on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community with a view to getting authentic and reliable information on this subject.
The Government is also planning to form an inter-ministerial group, which will plan and monitor the implementation of a comprehensive programme for skill and entrepreneurship development among the Muslim community and for ensuring easy and smooth access to credit to the minorities and the Muslims in particular.
The Government also plans to increase the number of public sector bank branches in the Muslim concentration areas and these banks and other financial institutions will promote micro-finance among the minorities, especially women.
The public sector banks will also monitor the disposal of loan applications for minorities and maintain reasons for rejection.
RBI will also maintain district-wise and bank-wise data on the disposal of applications on its website, and the flow of credit to the minorities, including Muslims, would be monitored regularly. The data can be accessed under the Right to Information Act.
A multi-pronged strategy will be adopted for addressing the problem of educational backwardness of the Muslim community.
The outreach of upper primary schools will be expanded, particularly for Muslim girls, and where necessary, with 'girls only' schools, more Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) will be opened in areas with substantial Muslim population.
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has promised immediate execution of the Union Cabinet's decisions on the Sachar panel recommendations. "Appropriate action is in hand on the recommendation of the Sachar Committee," she said.
Gandhi's remarks followed the Cabinet's decision to set up four committees on the proposals for an equal opportunity commission, a national data bank, education and skill development and over identification of minority-dominated districts.
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