Jaipur: Despite the Sachar Committee Report of 2006 that showed that the literacy rate
among Muslims being far lower than national average, and their
representation in managerial and professional classes poor, little
has been done to facilitate their greater integration with the
mainstream. The Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, however, is
set to change that.
The Rajasthan government has now formed a separate department to
address minority affairs to encourage smoother integration of
minority groups, especially their youth and women.
"As desired by the minority community, the chief minister has
already brought all the different welfare schemes and departments
associated with the minority community under one department," a
senior state government official said.
"As a result, administrative control of a host of organisations
such as the State Haj Committee, the Waqf Board, Madrassas Board,
Minority Commission, Minority Finance and Development Cooperative
Corp Ltd is now under one roof," the official told IANS.
"In the next step towards their welfare, more emphasis is being
laid on providing employment opportunities for youth from the
minority community through better educational facilities,
financial help and by improving training services," the official
said.
Of the state's total population of 68.62 million, nearly eight
percent is Muslim.
Officials said that approval has been granted for opening
madrassas (schools traditionally used for teaching Islamic
theology) along with schools in areas with substantial Muslim
population, to encourage more children, especially girls, to go to
school.
According to the State Madrassa Board, the Chief Minister's Office
has also started a madrassa modernisation plan for imparting
quality education as also for repairing and modernising madrassa
buildings.
"Under the modern education plan, approval have been given for a
grant of Rs.10.11 crore to 241 madrassas," a senior official in
the board said.
Among other steps the government has decided to take are:
* Girls' hostels at each divisional headquarters on the lines of
those operating in Jaipur, Kota and Ajmer;
* Rajasthan Knowledge Corp asked to expand its youth employment
programme on training the minority community in computers and make
them proficient in English;
* Programme for regular education to Muslim children, along with
religious texts, so that they don't get left behind in the modern
age;
* Ten Industrial Training Institutes opened in areas with large
minority population; and
* An officer assigned in each district to oversee programmes for
the minority community.
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