Enclosed:
The 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities
A. Enhancing opportunities for Education
i) Equitable availability of ICDS Services
ii) Improving access to School Education
iii) Greater resources for teaching Urdu
iv) Modernizing Madarsa Education
v) Scholarship for meritorious students from minority communities
vi) Improving educational infrastructure through the Maulana Azad EducationFoundation.
Equitable Share in Economic Activities and Employment
vii) Self-Employment and Wage Employment for the poor.
vii) Upgradation of skills through technical training
ix) Enhanced credit support for economic activities
x) Recruitment to State and Central Services
B. Improving the conditions of living of minorities
xi) Equitable share in rural housing scheme
xii) Improvement in condition of slums inhabited by minority communities.
C. Prevention & Control of Communal Riots
xiii) Prevention of communal incidents
xiv) Prosecution for communal offences
xv) Rehabilitation of victims of communal riots
The Cabinet has also decided that 15% of the funds may be earmarked whereverpossible in relevant schemes / programmes, for the nationally declaredminorities.
The 15 Point Programme has been recast to focus action sharply on issuesintimately linked with the social, educational and economic uplift of minoritiesand provide for earmarking of outlays in certain schemes so that the progress ismonitorable.
Background
The existing 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of minorities was formulatedin May, 1983. It covered 15 different aspects for action, commonly known as the"Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities". Thesepoints were reiterated by the then Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, in hisletter dated August 28th, 1985 addressed to all Chief Ministers.
