Cabinet approves rejig of programme for minorities

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved a proposal for the renaming and restructuring of the Multi-Sectoral Development Programme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs as "Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram".

The CCEA also approved its continuation for the remaining period of the 14th Finance Commission - until March 31, 2020.

Briefing reporters here after the cabinet meeting, Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the restructured programme would have more flexibility and better geographic reach.

"The cabinet has approved far-reaching changes for the benefit of minority communities," Prasad said.

He said the restructured programme would provide better socio-economic infrastructure facilities to the minorities, particularly in the fields of education, health and skill development.

The criteria for identification of minority concentration towns and clusters of villages had also been rationalised by lowering the population percentage criteria for minority communities, he added.

The name and criteria for schemes implemented in minority concentrated districts, following the Sachar Committee Report, have been changed.

As per the revised guidelines, the schemes meant for minority upliftment will be distributed among the regions where they are just 25% of the population. Earlier, only the districts where the population of minorities are more than 50% were considered for the schemes. The new scheme will be implemented as 'Pradhana Mantri Janavikas Karyaparipadi'.

80 percent of the funds allocated for the scheme will be spent in education, health and skill development. 33 to 40 percent of funds will be allocated to projects focused on women upliftment.

Earlier, the schemes for minority-concentrated districts were implemented in 196 districts. As per the new guidelines, 308 districts will be benefited by the schemes.

(With input from IANS)