Acting on Sachar Committee report on socio-economic conditions of Muslims, the Centre has decided to set up four committees that will examine the structure and functions of Equal Opportunity Commission, a national data bank, education and skilled development and to identify minority-concentration districts.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet on Thursday night chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi told media persons.
The Sachar Committee report, tabled in Parliament in November last year, has brought out the reality of the Muslim community and noted that there was a lack of social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in the country.
It was decided to set up expert groups to examine and determine the structure and functions of an Equal Opportunity Commission, recommend an appropriate Diversity Index to promote diversity in living, setting up a National Data Bank and focus on improving access to education to Muslim girls to remove the education backwardness.
Dasmunshi said an inter-ministerial group will be set up to plan and monitor implementation of a comprehensive programme for skilled development of Muslims.
"A cluster approach will be adopted to address the need for skill and entrepreneurship development, which will benefit the largely self-employed Muslim population," Dasmunsi said.
As part of a special-development initiative, a multi-sectoral development programme will be launched in selected backward minority-concentration districts while an inter-ministerial task force will be constituted to recommend strategies to address deficiencies in civic amenities, infrastructure and economic opportunities in 338 identified towns and cities.
He said a bill to amend the Wakf Act will be introduced in Parliament and model Wakf rules framed.
In another decision, the Cabinet gave its approval for identification of 90 minority-concentrated districts to benefit deprived amongst the minorities and to assist them in improving socio-economic status.
