In written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for Minority Affairs Vincent H. Pala said the schemes are included in the Prime Minister’s new 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of minorities. Under this scheme identified Industrial training Institutes (ITIs) are upgraded to Centres of Excellence or new ITIs are set up.
He said that the progress of implementation of the new programme, which includes flagship welfare programmes, is monitored closely and reviewed by the Government on half yearly basis and by the Ministry on quarterly basis. Pala also informed the House that the programme was revised and announced in June 2006. The outcome of implementation since the launch of new programme from 2006-07 to 2010-11 (up to December 31, 2010) are available in the Ministry’s website.
The Prime Minister’s new 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities envisages location of a certain proportion of development projects in minority concentration areas. It also provides that, wherever possible, 15% of targets and outlays under various schemes included in the programme should be earmarked for minorities.
Ninety Minority Concentration Districts were identified on the basis of minority population data and backwardness parameters of 2001Census. However, there is no proposal at present to change the existing norms for identification of such districts during the Eleventh Five Year Plan.