Union Minister for Minority Affairs K. Rahman Khan on Saturday said 90 minority-concentrated districts (MCD) have been identified in the country for implementing Multisectoral Development Programmes (MsDP) for minority development. The MsDP is an area development programme in the MCD with about 25 per cent minority population. The MCD would get funds for development schemes such as housing and education.
Gulbarga and Bidar districts have been identified as MCDs in Karnataka. Each district would get Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 crore annually for area development programmes, he said. Mr. Khan said 15 per cent of funds in the social sector schemes and other Central-funded schemes would be reserved for the minorities. His Ministry would monitor the implementation of the schemes for the minorities in 10 departments.
He said the National Minority Finance Development Corporation has set aside Rs. 1,000 crore for extending loans to minorities through State agencies for their economic development.
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To a question about non-utilisation of Central grants by the State, he said Central funds had to be routed through State agencies as the Centre cannot directly release funds to beneficiaries. “Of course, there have been complaints about non-utilisation of Central grants, but assistance of the State agencies are essential,” he said.
‘Monitoring ineffective’
Unhappy over the lack of monitoring of schemes targeted for minorities, Mr. Khan said there are about 60 schemes for minority development. The States, including Karnataka, were cooperating in their implementation, but monitoring was ineffective. We are planning to introduce a new system for monitoring the schemes, he said.
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