Monday, January 14, 2013

Have government schemes failed Muslims? By Subodh Varma, TNN, The Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Have-government-schemes-failed-Muslims/articleshow/18013610.cms
The Times of India

Have government schemes failed Muslims?



By , TNN | Jan 14, 2013,



Have government schemes failed Muslims?

A report authored by Abusaleh Sharif, member secretary of the Sachar committee and the man widely regarded as being the main author of that committee’s report, indicates that not much has changed even after the implementation of many government schemes for the upliftment of Muslims in India.


Six years ago, the Sachar Committee report showed that the Muslim community in India suffers from severe deprivations in education, employment, health services, public infrastructure, access to financial services leading to much higher poverty than other religious groups, somewhat like the condition of scheduled castes and tribes. The government responded by setting up a separate ministry for minority affairs, and launching several programs to provide benefits to the Muslims.

How have these programmes fared? And, what is the condition of Muslims in the key areas that the Sachar committee had underlined?

A report authored by Abusaleh Sharif, member secretary of the Sachar committee and the man widely regarded as being the main author of that committee's report, indicates that not much has changed. The report has been released by the US-India Policy Institute of which Sharif is now the chief scholar.

In a unique exercise, Sharif has calculated that providing education to Muslim and SC/ST communities would on its own boost the GDP growth rate up to 12%. At present, Muslims contribute only 11.2% to the country's GDP while dalits and adivasis contribute only 16.5%. This is because these communities are poorly educated and forced to work in traditional and low value creating occupations. In traditional services, the share of Muslims and SC/STs in the workforce is about 18% each while in modern services their respective shares are just 8 and 14%.

Comparing NSSO data of 2004-05 with 2009-10, the report notes that in this period literacy levels of Muslim OBCs improved by 5.9 percentage points in rural areas and 5.3 points in urban areas. In the same period, literacy among dalits improved by 8.5 points in rural areas and 5.1 points in urban areas. Among tribal communities, literacy shot up by 11.3 points in rural areas and 8.6 points in urban areas. As a result, Muslims, who were earlier roughly at the same level as dalits and tribals, are now beginning to lag behind.

At the class 10 level, a similar situation exists. In both rural and urban areas, the number of students clearing class 10 has increased by 13% and 11% for STs and SCs respectively in urban areas, and 10% and 9%, respectively in rural areas. For Muslims, the change is only about 5% to 7% in rural and urban areas.

The share of 17 to 29 years old youths who are in higher education has increased by just 1.6 percentage points for Muslim OBCs over the same period. For other Muslims, it has increased by a minuscule 0.8 points. Compare this with a 9.4 points increase among Hindu upper castes and 5.3 points among Hindu OBCs. The improvement in dalits and tribals are similar to the Muslims.

Analysis of the nature of employment across different types of work shows that Muslims continue to be concentrated in lower paying jobs. The source of income for almost a quarter of Muslim households is self-employment in non-agricultural occupations, mainly artisanal work. Only 14% of dalits and 6% of tribals earn their living from similar occupations. Another 23% of Muslims households earn by doing agricultural labour. Among dalits and tribals, the shares are 36% for this occupation.

In urban areas, over 45% of Muslims are self employed — more than any other community. They are usually involved in petty trade and various services like repair, etc. In the better paying and more secure salaried jobs, Muslims have the lowest share of all communities.

NSSO data from 2009-10 shows that in urban areas, over 88% of Muslims workers of age 15 years and above are in informal employment, the highest for any community. Muslims make up just over 6% of all government jobs, the lowest share of all communities and social groups.

Government schemes like the MGNREGS meant to provide a cushion for the unemployed too seem to have bypassed the Muslim community as Muslim households made up only 2.3% of those that got work under the scheme.

The report also points out that there is policy confusion about how minority communities are to be targeted for benefits under various schemes. Two sets of "minority concentration districts (MCDs)" have been flagged - one set is of 90 districts having 52% Muslim and 3.3% Christian population while the other set of 121 districts is the target of the prime minister's 15-point programme and has 66% Muslim and 11% Christian population.

Financial inclusion by extending credit facilities to the minority community on a priority basis is one of the big planks of the 15-point program. RBI data shows that in the 121 districts, average per capita advances to Muslims increased from Rs 50,000 in 2008 to over Rs 100,000 in 2011. But in the same districts, advances to Hindus increased from around Rs 230,000 in 2008 to Rs 270,000 by 2011.

The report reviews expenditure by the ministry of minority affairs and shows that while allocation has increased from Rs 500 cr in 2008-09 to Rs 3,135 cr in 2012-13, the actual per capita expenditure was working out to just Rs 230 in 2011-12 because 20% of the funds remained unutilized and also because coverage of the schemes was only about 50% of the total Muslim population.

For the multi-sectoral development programme of the ministry, of the Rs 2,966 cr available in 2011-12, only 44% had been spent. It is only in the case of the scholarship programs that targets are being surpassed.
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Readers' comments:

shiva (Mumbai ) 2 mins ago
Muslims should not expect the Government to bail them out like babies crying for milk. If they have any self respect and pride, they should work like the Sardars in Punjab who were affected by partition .Mullahs dictate the life of every Muslim.Those who break away from shackles of obscurant mindset prosper like movie actors. cricket players , singers , artistes etc. Sachar Committee report only helps in putting the Muslims back in a bottle of poverty with the lid firmly with the Congress party
Sandeep (BLR) 27 mins ago
Why do Muslims need government schemes in India. They should feel lucky that the Hindus r still tolerating these traitors for sixty years. On what basis do they deserve special schemes.
Deepak Kadakia (Mumbai)
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Who is to blamed for this. If they can't implement they are the one responsible for it. The main thing is why single them out why they should not be the part of other poor, backward community so they can also benefit from all the scheme.
cyberghost (Hindustan)
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Its time for minorities to start thinking about their development and future rather than trapping under religion based cheap politics by upa
asdfghjkll (lkjhgfdsa) 1 hr ago
Ofcourse they have failed. Congress doesnt care about muslims. They care about muslim votes. Unfortunately, muslims dont seem to realize this. The great irony is that according to the Sachar Commitee Report, the state with the highest standard of living among Muslims is Gujarat. Surprised? You see, all muslims need is a few distractions and they go chasing that. Draw a cartoon, make a youtube video...they will kill each other. Promise them reservation, tell them the opposition is anti-muslim....they will vote for you. Never mind the facts. Ironically, BJP will probably do more for muslims than Congress ever will.
Harjit Jassal (delhui)
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GOVT MONEY AND EFFORTS CANNOT RISE THE STANDARD OF THE CLASS WHEN THEY HAVE SIX OR EIGHT CHILDREN. DON'T THINK FOR VOTE BANK,LET THEM STAND ON THEIR OWN.
Fact (India) 2 hrs ago
Muslims have only themselves to blame. In a country that has had Muslim presidents, cricketers, actors it is ridiculous to talk about discrimination. I studied at NIT. There were about 35 muslims in my batch of 500. there was no reservation in NITs for muslims at the time (dont know about now). These guys got in like everyone else - studying hard and doing well in the AIEEE exam. They came to college, did their studies like everyone else. My batch had a 100% placement that year. So all 35 of them got placed. Today, atleast 10 of them earn higher salaries and hold higher posts than me (I'm Hindu). When I talk to those guys, they dont speak about an India that discriminates against muslims. They speak of an India where if you study well and work hard, you can get anywhere. Yes, there are a**holes and racists here and there but saying the reason for all your problems is the majority is ridiculous. Do you honestly think Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir would be India's best paid actors if Indians hated muslims?
cyberghost (Hindustan) replies to Fact
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shahab (delhi) 2 hrs ago
unless muslims are not part of beaurocracy the progammes for upliftment of muslims can not be fully implemented with sincerity. why the allocated budget not utilised 100 %, the beaurucrates will have the ready made answer. government is not so serious in implementation of programmes planned for muslims. they declare some thing before election and then every thing disappears.
Atheist (India) 2 hrs ago
Whats that? Going to madrassas, growing long beards, covering women in burqas, reading the Quran, producing children like cockroaches laying eggs, blowing up mosques, destroying national monuments, killing kafirs...doesnt pay well? How shocking!....Anyway who cares? Muzzies are going to paradise to f*** 72 virgins and drink unlimited booze. They can do some low paying work. Let us kafirs enjoy the high paying jobs of earth because anyway we will burn in hell afterwards. Atleast, thats what the Quran said.
SYED AHMED (Riyadh- KSA) 2 hrs ago
In my opinion, the bitter truth of the matter is that the muslims in India are equally, in fact, in many cases, more responsible than the government for their miserable condition. Why only in India, the muslims, from all over the world, with few exceptions, are primarily responsible for their miserable conditions. Srtarting from Indonesia in the east to Mouretania in the west, if we study and analyze the social conditions of the muslims in terms of major living parameters, such as education, research and development, peace, progress, prosperity, social justice, human rights, efficiency and productivity, geo-political stability, health and hygene, living standard and many more, we see that the conditions of majority of muslims are not better than the Indian muslims. By and large it is very much similar. Why should we go far, take the example of muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Are the conditions of muslims in the neighbor better than Indian muslims ? Are they better educated ? Do they have better peace, progress and prosperity ? Is their living standard better ? Do they have better social security ? Do they have better freedom and social stability, Do they have better record of human rights and social justice ? Do they have better facilities of health and hygene ? In which parameter are they better than Indian muslims ? I acknowledge that there are some discriminative elements in India, but they are few. Discrimination is not confined only to India. It exists in many parts of the world in different forms and magnitudes. I have seen many of the muslims, habitually try to find lame excuses for their miserable conditions. They never realize that they are also equally responsible for this.They wish, somebody should put all the success, prosperity, natural blessings on their palm, without paying the right price for such blessings. Who can do that ? One has to work for these blessings. Nobody will put such blessing on our palm. Let us take one parameter of social progress and success, the education. What is the educational status of Indian muslims ? How can we expect to have better life without good education ? Traditionally a large section of muslim groups and families did not encourage education both for boys and girls, in fact more so in case of girls, fearing that the education may keep them away from their religion. Traditionally a large section of muslims linked education with bread and butter only, nothing beyond that. Even today one can see few Imams in the mosques are openly advising the muslim not to learn science (science is nothing but knowledge) as science will keep them away from their religion. If this is the mentality and intellectual level of such religious leaders on education, who will help them ? Not even the God. Unfortunately these narrow minded moulvis have huge influence on muslim masses. Anyway, the ray of hope is that these days there is much better awareness among the muslims on education and other social parameters.
Ashish (Pune) 2 hrs ago
What a foolish topic to discuss. Govt programs are failing for all the citizens of this country. It is easy to feel alienated if you are a minority otherwise all are sitting on the burner!!!!!!
Mohammed Wahab Axom (NEINDIA)
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Without proper reservation in govt. jobs and educational institutions, muslims condition will remain the same. In Indian scenerio nothing will work other than strict reservation, because govt. welfare schemes hardly reach muslims and everywhere discrimination. It is not only the upper caste hindus discriminate, upper caste muslims also discriminate poor muslims.
Being Human (Mumbai) 2 hrs ago
The fact is many Muslims do not believe in family planning and have many children due to which they will not be able to give them even the basic education and besides they do not believe in family planning inspite of their family conditions. Some of them prefer Madarasas than the normal school education. Read the below lines of Asghar Ali Engineer - Family Planning and Islam - In fact, in view of the paucity of resources, it has become necessary to adopt family planning. When the Quran was being revealed there was neither any properly organised state nor education nor health services being provided by a state agency. It is important to note that the Quran, which shows eight ways to spend zakat, does not include education or health which is so essential for the state to provide today. Thus what Imam Razi suggests is not only very correct but also enhances the importance of family planning in modern times as a small family can support better education and health services.
vipul (mumbai) 3 hrs ago
This prove that Muslims has been fooled for this many years of freedom by Congis. They have been exploited for votes only in the name of fear of Hindutva. This is high time to stand up and think that neither of the promise of protection or development has been fulfilled. Come and join the Idea of Inclusive growth 'Development for all, appeasement for none'. You know whom I am talking about
kumar (USA) 3 hrs ago
I spent my 21 years in till 1977 in kerala in malapuram dist which is carved by EMS on demand of muslims being a mulsim majority dist (all muslim parties are non-secular and join hands with madrsa-mullah groups) and is having best modern schools-colleges-hospitals etc etc but still many prefer to educate in madrsa or islamic schools and many are left out with brainwashed idealogy as the household numbers are quite high and land in pretty jobs at home or mideast. Despite high literacy the mindset whcih has cemented in childhood to adapt and adjust with new environment has hardly been changed, and its worse in other states. Community leaders are interested to keep them poor and ignorant for retaining their power and base in the name of religion and politics. Mostly they themselves are to blame, as appeasement do not function all the time.
Awadhesh Kumar (Kolkata) replies to kumar
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If you were in Kerala in 70s, you'd also probably remember the CPM govt at that time tried to create a separate state for muslims to be called ‘Moplastan' and created out of the muslim majority districts, probably 4. That’s how muslim appeasement has been practiced in India, the result being that the real issue of their development is sidelined
kumar replies to Awadhesh Kumar 1 hr ago
To remain in power congress is in hands with M-Leauge & communists with IUM-Leauge, a ploy that muslims with 2-non secular party hold the triump card and part of power share. And such away carved out dist, laws and even funding to madrsas,turning malapura-calicut a de facto islamic areas, finally in natinonal level. Not a single indvidual or secular party has ever won in muslim dominated areas as MLA/MPs since without backing of ML/IUML or mullahs paving away communal politics again by christian dominated kerala congress remote controlled by bishops.Politics changed into communalism and i witness it on every visit to the land am born and feed sad of decay of morals n principles.
rahul (London)
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I know most of Muslim brothers who come to MH from other parts of India for procuring MH farm products like veggies and fruits never give payments to farmers and/or traders. Most of the muslim traders flee MH after taking farm produce worth 50 lacs to 1 cr and more. This is usual habit of Muslims brothers to rob non muslim people
Manjunath (Manjunath.) 3 hrs ago
In every caste.. there are poor people and RICH people in india... either it is upper caste or it is lower caste. But when commitee formed to look after perticular community, their concentarion is limited. Give the same and equal education to all from primary to Highschool. close all the private schools. Let private colleges be there. close the MADARA's...
janak (London) 3 hrs ago
They can uplift themselves we have carried them long enough. Hindus all over the world carry their own burden. Muslims all over the world need lifting up. FACT.
cyberghost (Hindustan)
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they keep their and their kids education limited to madarsa's and their mind is filled with jihad instead of some good education, thats the main reason i think for their current situation, govt alone can not do anything
Sridhar (Mumbai)
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No one can help the Muslims if they keep listening to the illiterate Mullah's. They don't want to reform themselves or get educated, all they want is bloodshed, destroy the country they live in and make India a country like Pakistan or Afghanistan. Even Allah has abandoned the Indian muslims.
vyas.bhavik (ahmedabad)
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Nothing like that, no separate rules for them
cyberghost (Hindustan)
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increasing unpropotional population is biggest reason
cyberghost (Hindustan)
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jis din desh-bhakt ban jayenge tarakki shuru ho jayegi.
cyberghost (Hindustan)
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Sikhs and Christians are not getting any govt support, yet progressing. What is the problem with this religion ?
Rangachari (CHENNAI-600061)
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Similar reports on govt schemes for other groups apparently not there. only then we can say whether failure of schemes are group/religion specific or otherwise. If a scheme fails it is due to many factors one of which is rejection or opposition of the group concerned,For e.g. if thisgroup prefers religion based education. \Perhaps lack of consultative planning is the reason. But basically how secular is the govt when it prefers a group over others!
Niwas (India) 3 hrs ago
"Muslims contribute only 11.2% to the country's GDP": I am from a muslim dominated region where they own a huge business, lands and also uneducated. As far as i know, many rarely files correct IncomeTax as many lives in abroad. Also many involved in smuggling (i not saying muslims but many in my region does it). IMO this 11.2% is not a correct value. Comparing everyone, they got thier share better than others.
Gayas (Chennai)
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