With the Congress having failed to ensure adequate share for minorities in Government jobs, Minority Affairs Ministry is now banking its hopes on corporates to provide training and development to help the ignored religious minorities get jobs.
The Ministry is working on setting up a joint committee with three business chambers — Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) — and with the Ministry of labour and Employment to give impetus to promote skill development and employment opportunities in public and private sectors for minorities.
“A law was made to provide 4.5 per cent sub-quota reservation for minorities, but it had been stayed by the Supreme Court. So, there is no policy to secure any jobs or seats in academia for the minorities,” said K Rahman Khan, Minister for Minority Affairs.
“We are hopeful that the sub-quota should happen. We are in talks with the Attorney General to argue for advancing the hearing in the apex court so that the issue could be resolved soon but in the interim we have to help the minorities,” said Khan.
The Minister, who chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review the status of recruitment of minorities in Government organisations, sought cooperation from CII, FICCI and PHDCCI for the entrepreneurship development for minorities.
“Under the revamped multi-sectoral development programme, we are also working on establishing 44 polytechnics and 113 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the minority concentrated blocks. We have set aside at least 40-50 per cent of our 2013-14 Budget, which is about `1,250 crore to establish these vocational training institutes,” said Khan.
“While the Ministry is doing its job, the industry should also join in our efforts as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative,” he said.
In an earlier meeting when Khan was reviewing the minorities’ status in employment in Government and public sector, he had directed the department of personnel and training to ensure minority representation in all selection boards and committees for recruitment in Government and public sector.