Draft Equal Opportunity Commission Bill Re-Circulated for Inter-Ministerial Consultations

Based on the Expert Group Report and examination by the Government, the draft Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) Bill has been re-circulated for inter-ministerial consultations. In pursuance of one of the recommendations made by Sachar Committee, the Government had set up an Expert Group to examine and determine, inter alia, the structure and functions of an EOC to address the grievances of deprived groups.

To enable the minorities to avail opportunities in development process of the country, the Ministry of Minority Affairs is already implementing various welfare and development schemes/programmes. It has taken initiatives for educational empowerment, infrastructure development, skill development, economic empowerment, women empowerment and also to meet the special needs of the Minorities.

Moreover, under Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities (PM’s New 15-PP), 24 schemes/programmes of 11 Ministries/Departments including 7 exclusive schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs are covered. Details of the schemes / programmes / initiatives taken up by the Ministry of Minority Affairs exclusively for minorities, and various schemes of other Central Ministries / Departments under PM’s New 15-PP and Sachar Committee recommendations is available on the website of the Ministry, www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.

This information was given by Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Minister of State (IC) for Minority Affairs, in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.