Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remark that minorities be given preferential rights over resources could just be a curtain-raiser. Going by the schemes and outlays proposed for the ‘Empowerment of the Minorities (Muslim)’ for the 11th Plan, there may well be a quantum jump in allocation from the meagre Rs 50 crore in the 10th Plan to a whopping Rs 17224 crore.

Identifying education and employment as the twin resources that would give the backward sections of the minority community the much-needed fillip and also somewhat remove socio-economic disparities, the Planning Commission’s Working Group has recommended a total allocation of Rs 7034 crore for the education and Rs 9090 crore for the ecomonic development (mainly, employment generation).

One of the main recipients of Central funds till the 10th Plan, Wakf Board would be getting 1000 crore (that too if a National Wakf Board Corporation is set up) and just Rs 100 crore has been marked for grants to voluntary organisations engaged in socio-economic development.

Apart from recording the embarrassingly low development statistics of the minority community, the Plan panel’s Working Group has actually identified “physical targets” and concrete steps that could be taken in the 11th Plan to bring about “faster and more inclusive growth”.

The detailed report recommends a maximum financial outlay of Rs 1250 crore for scholarships to minority students attending primary and upper primary classes (I-VII) with special focus on the girl child. Under this scheme, 10 lakh girl students would be given token scholarships Rs 250 for five years. In comparison, the boys would get Rs 150 for the same period.

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