Assam: To help in ‘identification’, Cabinet to issue ‘minority certificates’ to six religious communities
Speaking to The Indian Express, Habib Mohammad Chowdhury, the Chairman of the Minorities Development Board, said that the move would “benefit” the minorities of Assam, especially in availing government schemes.
Assam Health and Family Welfare minister, Keshab Mahanta. (Photo: Twitter/@keshab_mahanta) The Assam Cabinet Sunday announced that the government would issue “minority certificates” to six religious communities — Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis.
“This is the first time such certificates would be handed out,” Assam Health & Family Welfare minister, Keshab Mahanta, said while addressing the press after the Cabinet meeting in Guwahati. He added that the modalities of the decision are still being figured out.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Mahanta said that it would help in “identification.” “We have a number of schemes for minorities, we have a separate department for minorities… But who are the minorities? There is no identification. We need to identify them so that such schemes reach them,” Mahanta said, adding that the request for certificates came from the Assam Minorities Development Board.
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