02-07-2007, 09:14 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->PMO, Fin Min start minor-ity row
Sandeep Banerjee
CNN-IBN
Posted Tuesday , February 06, 2007 at 19:30
Updated Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 00:06
New Delhi: The Union Budget will be out on February 28, but just weeks before that the Prime Ministerâs Office (PMO) and the Finance Ministry are locked in a debate on spending more funds for the development of minorities.
The PMO is concerned over reports that the countryâs booming economy has brought little benefit to minorities and therefore wants the Finance Ministry to allocate more funds for them.
The Principal Secretary, PMO, has written to the Banking Secretary in North Block, asking the Finance Ministry to implement the Prime Minister's 15-point minority programme.
The letter says 15 per cent of all financial targets should be for minorities. As much as 15 per cent of all loans/funds in areas like agriculture, small scale industries, small businesses, education and housing loans should be reserved for minorities.
The PMOâs letter also categorically asks the Finance Ministry to "ensure that action on the lines indicated is taken urgently and a report is sent to this office for submission to the Prime Minister."
The Minority Affairs Ministry also sent a letter to North Block and the PMO sent the Finance Ministry a reminder on December 20, 2006.
The PMO's directive wants ghettoisation to end and minorities to benefit from the booming economy. The directive is also in line with its resolve that all Indians must benefit from the booming economy.
The directive has a political angle too: four states will go to polls soon and if the government wants votes it must convince people that the economy will help the common man too.
FOR THE MINORITIES
- 15-point programme for development of minorities was announced in June 2006..Â
- 15 percent of funds are to be reserved for the welfare of Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis and Buddhists.
- The Justice Rajinder Sachar committee report last year said Muslims must be helped with affirmative action and funds..
But despite being persuaded by the PMO and the Minority Affairs Ministry, the Finance Ministry seems less than keen to move ahead on this issue.
Sources in the Finance Ministry they have sent âsuggestive recommendationsâ to the banks last month and banks are free to decide their lending policies themselves.
CPM Leader Brinda Karat said she is âamazedâ that the Finance Minister has not yet implemented the direction.
âIn this Budget make it very, very clear that 15 percent of priority sector loans must go minority communities as mandated by a Cabinet decision. Itâs quite amazing that how so many months later the Finance Minister is still baulking at it. The Finance Minister needs to bring this issue to a close in this Budget," she said.
How Finance Minister P Chidambaram closes this issue and how generous he will be to minorities will become clear on Budget Day.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/pmo-fin-min-st...op/32918-3.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why dont they just start gas chambers for Hindus so that minorities get all the benefit?
Sandeep Banerjee
CNN-IBN
Posted Tuesday , February 06, 2007 at 19:30
Updated Wednesday, February 07, 2007 at 00:06
New Delhi: The Union Budget will be out on February 28, but just weeks before that the Prime Ministerâs Office (PMO) and the Finance Ministry are locked in a debate on spending more funds for the development of minorities.
The PMO is concerned over reports that the countryâs booming economy has brought little benefit to minorities and therefore wants the Finance Ministry to allocate more funds for them.
The Principal Secretary, PMO, has written to the Banking Secretary in North Block, asking the Finance Ministry to implement the Prime Minister's 15-point minority programme.
The letter says 15 per cent of all financial targets should be for minorities. As much as 15 per cent of all loans/funds in areas like agriculture, small scale industries, small businesses, education and housing loans should be reserved for minorities.
The PMOâs letter also categorically asks the Finance Ministry to "ensure that action on the lines indicated is taken urgently and a report is sent to this office for submission to the Prime Minister."
The Minority Affairs Ministry also sent a letter to North Block and the PMO sent the Finance Ministry a reminder on December 20, 2006.
The PMO's directive wants ghettoisation to end and minorities to benefit from the booming economy. The directive is also in line with its resolve that all Indians must benefit from the booming economy.
The directive has a political angle too: four states will go to polls soon and if the government wants votes it must convince people that the economy will help the common man too.
FOR THE MINORITIES
- 15-point programme for development of minorities was announced in June 2006..Â
- 15 percent of funds are to be reserved for the welfare of Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis and Buddhists.
- The Justice Rajinder Sachar committee report last year said Muslims must be helped with affirmative action and funds..
But despite being persuaded by the PMO and the Minority Affairs Ministry, the Finance Ministry seems less than keen to move ahead on this issue.
Sources in the Finance Ministry they have sent âsuggestive recommendationsâ to the banks last month and banks are free to decide their lending policies themselves.
CPM Leader Brinda Karat said she is âamazedâ that the Finance Minister has not yet implemented the direction.
âIn this Budget make it very, very clear that 15 percent of priority sector loans must go minority communities as mandated by a Cabinet decision. Itâs quite amazing that how so many months later the Finance Minister is still baulking at it. The Finance Minister needs to bring this issue to a close in this Budget," she said.
How Finance Minister P Chidambaram closes this issue and how generous he will be to minorities will become clear on Budget Day.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/pmo-fin-min-st...op/32918-3.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why dont they just start gas chambers for Hindus so that minorities get all the benefit?