Question : RECOMMENDATIONS OF SACHAR COMMITTEE

(a) whether the Government has decided to constitute a high power expert committee to assess the recommendations of Sachar Committee on minorities and make a report to the Government;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether there is a proposal for creation of blocks for identifying beneficiaries instead of the districts in order to implement the recommendations of the Sachar Committee for the welfare of the minority communities, especially Muslims;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the steps being taken by the Government to implement the Sachar Committee report in its entirety?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI NINONG ERING)

(a)& (b) No, Madam. The progress of implementation of the recommendations of Sachar Committee is monitored and reviewed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs with the Nodal Officers on a quarterly basis. Further, the implementation is monitored by the Committee of Secretaries on half yearly basis and then reported to the Union Cabinet.

(c)& (d) As a follow up action on Sachar Committee Recommendation regarding area development programme, Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) is being implemented in 90 identified Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) since 2008 with the aim of bringing these districts at par with the national average in terms of socio-economic & backwardness parameters.It is proposed to change the unit area of planning from districts to blocks for better targeting the minorities, including Muslims, during 12th Five Year Plan.

(e) Totally, 76 recommendations were listed from the Sachar Committee Report and considered by the Government and 72 recommendations were approved by the Government for implementation by different Ministries/Departments. Following three recommendations at
(i), (ii) & (iii) were not accepted and one recommendation at
(iv) was deferred by the Government:

(i) Enumeration of castes/groups as a part of decennial census exercise.

(ii) Creation of a new All India Cadre of officers, to manage the affairs of State Wakf Boards and Central Wakf Council

(iii) Having alternative admission criteria, to facilitate admissions to the most backward amongst all the SRCs in the regular Universities and autonomous colleges.

(iv) Absorbing Arzals in the SC list or atleast in a separate Most Backward Category (MBCs) carved out of the OBCs.

However, regarding the recommendation at
(i) above, the Ministry of Home Affairs is now taking action thereon. Further, as regards recommendation at
(iv), the Government has now carved out a sub-quota of 4.5.% for minorities, as defined under Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, from within the 27% reservation for OBCs. The matter is however subjudice.