Govt trying to expedite Muslim sub-quota within job quota: Rahman Khan

“We had said in our manifesto that we will provide reservation to backward Muslims as per the Karnataka and Kerala mode of quota within quota. In both the states,it has been upheld by the courts.

“After the Andhra Pradesh High Court order rejecting it,the matter is now before the Supreme Court. We are trying to expedite the matter. We are committed to it,” Khan said.

The decision taken by the Union Cabinet on December 23,2011 and latter notified aimed at carving out a sub-quota of 4.5 per cent for minorities within the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs.

The decision was based on the recommendation of Rangnath Mishra-headed National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities and taken a few months before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Khan also rejected the charge that the recommendations of Sachar Committee were not implemented fully and said 69 of the 72 recommendations out of a total 76 of the committee have already been implemented while work is in progress on other three including setting up of an Equal Opportunity Commission,National Data Bank and Diversity Index.

Admitting lack of speed in implementation of schemes and shorcomings in their monitoring,the minister said he is going to “revamp” the entire monitoring system.

Khan said he is striving to bring in non-official members,including those from NGOs,in distict and state-level monitoring committees as administrative officers hardly have time for such exercises.

The minister also put the blame on states for poor implementation of some of the schemes saying they do not submit utilization certificates in time.

“In the financial year 2013-14,the earmarked budget for the Ministry is around Rs. 3511 Crore. We have already set our priorities.

“Out of this,among various development and welfare programmes,the Ministry intends to spend Rs. 1250 crore on Area Development in 710 Minority Concentration Blocks and 66 Towns and Rs. 1770 crore on scholarship programmes,” Khan said.

He said his ministry is in the process of formulating a scheme for skill development of minorities. “The Ministry intends to intervene to help workers engaged in growth-oriented sectors to become part of the larger market network,” he said.

“In the Budget this year,among other initiative,a sum of Rs. 100 crore has been allocated to Maulana Azad Education Foundation for providing medical aid to minorities. The scheme is being formulated to cover critical ailments. The modalities to release the funds are under consideration,” Khan said.

Regarding the ministry’s ambitious proposal for setting up five central universities under the aegis of Maulana Azad Educational Foundation with focus on minorities,Khan said “an expert committee of prominent educationists,headed by a former UGC Chairman,was constituted which has submitted its final report to the Ministry of Minority Affairs.”

“The report is under examination in the Ministry,” he said.

He said the bill regarding the setting up of Equal Opportunity Commission is in final stages and has been sent to the Law Ministry.