NCM Team Reviewed the Status of Welfare Schemes for Minorities in Assam

NCM Team Reviewed the Status of Welfare Schemes for Minorities in Assam

Written by

DR. SYED AHMED

Published on

August 12, 2022

A high-level panel of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) led by its Vice-Chairman HT Sangliana paid a 3-day visit from April 27 to 29 April to Assam to review the status of welfare schemes meant for the Muslims and other minority communities in the state. The team, besides meeting the high-level officials of the state, also investigated the causes for failure of the numerous minority welfare schemes. The visit is significant as the UPA government is committed to draft a blueprint for overall development of the minority communities before the Assembly election in the state that is scheduled next year.

Sangliana met Governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Chief Secretary Naba Kumar Das and DGP Shankar Baruah and discussed in details the execution status of the schemes and tried to find out causes of failures particularly of the PM’s programme. He also met representatives of various minority groups including Muslim and Christian religious leaders and discussed atrocities on religious, linguistic and ethnic minority communities in the state.

Sangliana, while talking to the media persons in a news conference held on April 27, expressed that the NCM team was concerned over reports and allegations of misuse of funds meant for the development of minorities and asked the Assam State Commission for Minorities (ASCM) to streamline the system. He said execution of the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for welfare of the minorities in the state is also not ‘satisfactory.’ He added that barely 3-4 programmes are being implemented in the state so far.

Sangliana further directed the state government to ensure that all minority communities living in the state get the benefits of the welfare schemes. He also requested officials of the minority departments to sensitise and educate people about the various welfare schemes. Sangliana also asked the state government to inform him whether the government has engaged the state commission in evaluation of minority population pattern and the share in terms of funds allocation for development, budgetary allocation and grant-in-aid by the state government. He also sought an action-taken report from the state government regarding the implementation status of Central schemes meant for the people belonging to the minority communities in Assam. Sangliana has been assured by the state government to furnish the details at the earliest.

Allen Brooks, acting chairperson of the ASCM, who was present at the news conference, said the commission has devised a new mechanism for assessing and evaluating the progress of schemes and proper utilisation of funds for the minority welfare. He also said that sub-divisional minority development boards would be instituted in all the districts to implement schemes. These boards will help in ensuring that only the deserving beneficiaries get the benefits, he added.

A state government official associated with minority development alleged in a national paper recently that the NCM was deeply concerned over the fact that the state has failed to materialise most of the welfare projects sponsored by the NCM. In the last five years NCM approved 38 projects but the state could execute just eight projects so far. Projects like free coaching to minority students for Civil Services Examinations and setting up of technical and professional institutes in minority-concentrated areas to enhance employability of minority youths are still neglected, the official said.

The official further claimed that ASCM and Assam Minority Development and Financial Corporation (AMDFC) have become political bodies where the ruling party dumps its displeased leaders. He said the National Minority Development and Financial Corporation (NMDFC) wrote to the Assam government lately saying the corporation’s interest-free loans were given to relatives of the politicians instead of deserving beneficiaries from the minority community.

Char Chapori Sahitya Sabha, a literary organisation representing the minorities, was one of the most important organisations which drew Sangliana’s attention to alleged misuse of funds by AMDFC and that the body has full of corrupt officials and touts. President of the Sabha, Hafiz Ahmed said despite getting a huge amount of funds from the centre and the state government every year, the economic condition of the minority communities in the Assam has remained unchanged, since fund is being siphoned off by officials of the AMDFC with the help of politicians.

The Sabha submitted a memorandum to the visiting team, addressing the issue. In November, last year, this same Sabha found fault with the implementation of various projects of Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) meant for the minority concentrated districts in Assam. The Sabha had claimed that many of the schemes were implemented in areas where there is no sizable minority population. Citing one such case, the Sabha alleged that a 100-bed hospital was being set up at Samaguri in Nagaon, which has virtually no minority population, while the minority-dominated Mandia bloc in Barpeta had only one primary health centre. The Sabha had demanded the central and state governments to review the welfare schemes. The Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) also supported the claim of the Sabha and accused the state government of diverting funds earmarked for the minorities under MsDP by the Union Minority Affairs Ministry.

Assam has the second highest percentage of Muslims in India only next to J&K. The state has 82.40 lakh (31%) Muslims and 9.86 lakh Christians (3.7%). Sikhs and Buddhists make up 0.1% and 0.3% of the total population respectively.

The NCM panel has now divided the country into five zones to look after the welfare of the minority communities in an effective manner. Sangliana is in-charge of the zone that includes the 7 North-Eastern states and Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand. Sanglaina is visiting every state to gather ground reports about the status of minority projects and funds utilisation. Sangliana also paid a 5-day visit to Manipur last February.