Report shows minority challenge - Empowerment still cause for concern in bengal

Report shows minority challenge - Empowerment still cause for concern in bengal

PRANESH SARKAR AND ZEESHAN JAWED

Calcutta, June 12: The Bengal government may be giving honorariums to imams and bicycles to girl students but a vast section of the minority community remains outside the empowerment footprint, latest data suggest. The shortcomings were underscored by figures in a report tabled by the government today before a parliamentary standing committee meeting that assessed the performance of the state government in implementing the Prime Minister's 15-point programme. "We were aware that the implementation in Bengal is not satisfactory. We are trying to find out the reason and this is why we held the meeting today," Hemanand Biswal, the chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee, told The Telegraph. The report, drawn up by the state minorities affairs department headed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, has listed data on jobs and admissions to vocational institutions, which reflect the state of empowerment of the community. (See chart) "I don't know about the content of the report. But if the condition of the minority community has to be improved, they have to be empowered with education and jobs. On both these counts, the Bengal government's performance is not satisfactory," said Toha Siddque, the director of Furfura Sharif in Hooghly. The condition of the minority community in Bengal had triggered a debate after the Sachar committee report concluded in 2006 that the erstwhile Left Front government did not do enough. Mamata had cited the findings extensively in her campaign for the 2011 Assembly polls and promised a holistic approach if she came to power. But the figures in the report suggest she has a long way to go. According to the report, out of the 2,781 lady constables recruited in 2012 by Bengal police, 288 were from the minority community. This translates to a little over 10 per cent — far below the minority population of at least 28 per cent in the state. The report said 6,161 dwelling units were given to the minorities in 2012-13, which account for only 11.7 per cent of the total 52,591 beneficiaries across the state. The data on education also bring out the challenge before the government. The report does not mention comparative data but officials said the situation had improved from that a few years ago. "But in a state where the minority population is around 28 per cent, the figures state that only 9 to 12 per cent minorities are getting the facilities that can give a boost to minority development. This is not enough," said an official. While education avenues remain out of reach for many minority community members, the Mamata government has been giving monthly allowances to imams and muezzins. "The annual outgo on imams and muezzins is not less than Rs 125 crore a year…. Even if half of it is spent on education, health care and housing, the community will benefit in a big way," said an official. Giasuddin Molla, minister of state in the minority department, said: "Those criticising Mamata Banerjee should not forget that she has done for minorities in two years what the Left Front could not do in 34 years. From reservation in government jobs to declaring Urdu the second language, the list of her achievements is endless." http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130613/jsp/frontpage/story_17002470.jsp#.Ubne6OeBlA0