AN ASSESSMENT OF UPA THROUGH A MINORITY BUDGETING LENS

- Dr. M.A. Baseer

Lecturer, Dept. of Chemistry,
Yeshwant Mahavidyalaya, Nanded (M.S., India)
E-mail : baseer_nanded@yahoo.com
E
-mail :dr.baseerbari@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
This article evaluates the United Progressive Alliance Government's budg
ets over the past three years through the lens of minorities – both from reviewing
the minority budgeting statements in Union Budgets since 2007-08 and assessing
the allocations to major programmes and schemes across various sectors that affe
ct minorities. First, although the minority budgeting statements still suffer f
rom flaws in methodology, it is clear that minorities are accorded low priority
in government spending on development. Second, the creation of an independent M
inistry of Minority Affairs has not resulted in any significant change in priori
ties for minorities. Third, a whopping difference in allocations for schemes me
ant for minorities and SCs, STs in the Union Budgets puts a big question mark on
how serious the UPA is in its stated commitment to minorities' empowerment.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Since budgets reflect government's priorities, it is pertinent to ask wh
ere minorities featured in the priorities of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) g
overnment. And as the UPA begins another term, it is important that they consol
idate their gains and at the same time do not repeat their mistakes.
Although one of the six core principles of governance laid down in the N
ational Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) was, " to provide for full equality of o
pportunity, particularly in education and employment for scheduled castes, sched
uled tribes, OBCs and religious minorities". Further main objective of XI Plan
is "Faster and more Inclusive Growth", while inclusive growth demands that all s
ocial groups have equal access to the services provided by the State. How far d
id the budgets of the UPA reflect this basic principle is the important question
one has to ask. This paper focuses only on the story told by the previous Unio
n Budgets presented by the UPA government in its last term, their achievements a
nd the recent Union Budget of 2009-10.
I) Budget allocation : To implement various programmes/Schemes, the Ministry of
Minority Affairs (MoMA) has allocated Rs. 7,000 Cr. for the Eleventh Plan (2
007-12). An outlay for the Ministry of Minority Affairs is 0.32% of the total X
I Plan outlay of Central Government. It has been observed that, for the last tw
o years, budget allocations for MOMA are revised down and spent less.
• In 2007-08, Budget estimate was Rs.500 Cr, revised estimate was Rs.350 Cr while
actual expended amount is Rs.196.65 Cr only ( 39.33% utilization).
• In 2008-09, Budget estimate was Rs.1000 Cr, revised estimate was Rs.650 Cr. Actu
al expended amount is Rs.618.62 Cr. ( 61.86 % utilization of budget estimate).
Hence, it is strongly urged to utilise 100% amount of the plan budget Rs
.1750 Cr for current year 2009-10 for the welfare of minorities. How these budge
tary provisions for MoMA are very insufficient, catering the needs of just less
than 5% of deserving far backward minorities, can be revealed by comparing with
the budgetary provisions for SCs & STs.
• In 2007-08, Budget estimate was Rs.2001 Cr, revised estimate was Rs.2200 Cr for
SCs, STs.
• In 2008-09, Budget estimate was Rs. 2400 Cr, revised estimate was Rs. 240
0 Cr for SCs, STs and 98.4% of the amount allocated was utilised.
• In 2009-10, Budget estimate is Rs.2500 Cr for SCs & STs.
Apart from these budgetary provision, there are several schemes with 100
% provisions for SCs, STs & in some of the schemes, at least 20% of the allocati
ons are earmarked for SCs, STs, under which, in 2008-09, the budget estimate was
Rs.23140.68 Cr while revised estimate was Rs.25015.02 Cr. In the year 2009-10,
the budget estimate for various central sponsored schemes benefiting SCs, STs is
Rs.27617.79 Cr.
To eradiate the backwardness among minorities and achieve the target of
a developed nation, additional funding provisions for welfare of minorities at p
ar with SCs, STs is the need of the hour.
Hence, it is strongly demanded that, 15% of the allocation must be earma
rked for minorities under all the National Flagship Development Programmes and a
ll central/state level welfare schemes at par with SCs, STs budgetary provisions
.
II) Scholarship Schemes: Achievements of the Targets
XI Plan (2007-12)
Schemes Year Target
(No./Amt. in Cr.) Sanctioned (No./Amt. in Cr.)
i) Merit –cum-Means Scholarship Scheme 2007-08 20,000 (54 Cr.) 17,258 (
40.9 Cr.)
2008-09 35,000 (124.9 Cr.) 26,195 (63.93 Cr.)
2009-10 20,000 (100 Cr.) --
XI Plan (600 Cr.)
ii) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme 2007-08 1 lakh (90 Cr.) 57,112 (21.89 Cr
.)
2008-09 1.75 lakh (99.9 Cr.) 1.51 lakh (70.63 Cr.)
2009-10 7 lakh (150 Cr.)
XI Plan 15 lakh (1150 Cr.)
iii) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme 2007-08 -- (72 Cr.) Not implemented
2008-09 6 lakh (79.9 Cr.) 5.13 lakh (62.2 Cr.)
2009-10 22 lakh (200 Cr.) --
XI Plan 25 lakh (1400 Cr.)
1) Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme:
FINDINGS : Under Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme, just Rs. 105 Cr. are utili
sed in 2007-08, 2008-09 while in 2009-10, Rs. 100 Cr. are targeted then an amoun
t of Rs. 400 Cr. is to be expended in remaining 2 years of XI Plan.
DEMANDS/SUGGESTIONS:
a) Number of Scholarships must be increased from present target of just 20,
000 to all the eligible minority students studying professional courses at par w
ith SCs/STs.
b) 100% reimbursement of Tuition Fee for just 70 Premier Institutes is inju
stice with minorities. It must be at par with SCs, STs who avail 100% Fee reimbu
rsement in all Government, Non-government aided as well as un-aided professional
courses.
c) Reimbursement of an amount up to just Rs.20,000/- against Tuition Fee to
minorities is injustice with them while SCs, STs avail total 100% Fee reimburse
ment and OBCs, EBCs avail upto 50% Fee reimbursement in professional courses (gr
anted as well as non-granted). e.g. for a Professional Course of tuition fee Rs.
90,000/- p.a., a minority candidate is being reimbursed by Rs.20,000/- only whil
e SCs, STs get 100% Fee reimbursement and an OBC or EBC candidate get 50% Fee re
imbursement benefit (Rs.45,000/-). Hence, a minority candidate is being marginal
ised by govt’s discriminatory policy.
Total fee charged by Govt. as well as Private un-aided institutions in higher te
chnical and professional education must be reimbursed for minorities.
d) Further, Parents’ Annual income of Rs.2.5 lakh p.a. must be increased to R
s.4.5 lakh p.a. as being the eligibility criteria for SCs, STs & OBCs in Central
& State govt. Scholarship Schemes.
e) Last date of submission of Scholarship forms must be extended up to Nove
mber end till all the rounds of centralised admission process for professional c
ourses get completed. This year, after deadline, upto October 2009, Nineteen Sta
tes were yet to submit their Scholarship application details to centre.
f) Since, admissions in each professional course are through the Entrance S
core, therefore, criteria of merit for awarding the Scholarship must be the Entr
ance Score and not the Score of Board exam.
g) Pre-requirement of Declaration of religion, Income Certificate, Residenc
e Proof, Domicile Certificate, Bank A/c must be scrapped. Application Form must
be simplified. The required documents must be collected by the selected candidat
es only.
h) On-line submission of Application from for Scholarship for professional
students can be implemented for rapid and error free processing.
2) Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme:
FINDINGS : In two years 2007-08, 2008-09 just Rs. 92.52 Cr. are utilised, while
Rs. 150 Cr. are targeted during current year 2009-10, then a huge amount of XI P
lan outlay i.e. Rs. 900 Cr. remain to be expended only in 2010-11 and 2011-12 un
der this scheme.
DEMANDS/SUGGESTIONS:
a) Number of Scholarships must be increased from present target. All the el
igible minority candidates must be awarded by the Scholarships to increase their
Gross Enrolment Ratio in Higher Education from present 7.7 % to targeted 15 %.
b) 100% fee reimbursement in all undergraduate and post-graduate courses (a
ided as well as un-aided), research fields must be awarded at par with SCs & STs
.
It can be learned by studying the budgetary provision for SCs, STs under
Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme in 2008-09, it was Rs. 731 Cr. & in 2009-10 it i
s Rs.735 Cr., while minorities with almost same population are being provided wi
th less than its 15 %.
Continued education through higher secondary and degree stages must be e
nsured.
Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme must be revised by enhancing the income c
eiling for eligibility at par with SCs & STs and rate of scholarship, maintenanc
e allowance.
Minority students should have the opportunity to study in quality instit
utions, institutes of National importance, for which financial assistance must b
e extended.
3) Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme:
FINDINGS : Only an amount of Rs. 62.2 Cr. are expended in 2008-09 and Rs. 200
Cr. are targeted in 2009-10, then a huge amount of Rs. 1137.8 Cr. remain to be e
xpended under this scheme upto 2012.
DEMANDS/SUGGESTIONS:
a) Number of Scholarships must be increased & all the eligible minority can
didates must be awarded by the Scholarships to decrease their drop-outs from the
schools. (as SCs, STs are benefited).
b) 100% Fee reimbursement to those studying in un-aided Schools must be pro
vided as guaranteed under RTE Act 2009.
c) Scheme must be revised by enhancing the income ceiling for eligibility a
t par with SCs & STs and rate of scholarship, maintenance allowance.
d) The pre-requirement of Income Certificate, Religion Declaration, Domicil
e Certificate, Bank A/c number must be scrapped. Those must be collected from se
lected candidates only. e.g. Last year in 2008-09, nearly 1 lakh applications we
re received and Scholarships were awarded to only 1859 candidates in Nanded dist
rict. Similar was the condition in other district of Maharashtra.
e) Minority students should have the opportunity to study in quality instit
utions as that of SCs & STs. To enable this, financial assistance need to be ex
tended.
III) Free Coaching and Allied Scheme
In XI Plan (2007-12), Rs.45 Cr. are provided for coaching to 20,000 mino
rity candidates. Out of which, during 2007-08, Rs.5.74 Cr. are expended for 4,14
7 candidates against targeted budget of Rs.10 Cr. In 2008-09, Rs.7.4 Cr. are exp
ended for 5,522 candidates against targeted budget of Rs.10 Cr. This year, in 20
09-10, Rs.12 Cr. are allocated. When this amount is compared with coaching and a
llied Scheme for only ST students, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has provided Rs.33
Cr. in 2008-09 and Rs.42.75 Cr. in 2009-10, just for 7% of ST population!
It has been observed that, Free Coaching and Allied Scheme is being impl
emented through non-famous, ordinary, professionally non-reputed coaching centre
s having no proven results in respective fields. Institutes with minimum 15% suc
cess rate are eligible for grant. It means that, when 20,000 candidates will be
 coached from such third grade centres, then in five years, hardly 3000 candidat
es could succeed in respective Entrance / Competitive Exams. What a joke...!
This Scheme needs to be completely revised and modified with enhanced ta
rgets and goals in specific fields like IIT/IIMs, Civil Services etc.
e.g. Up to 2012, 15% admissions of minorities in IIT/IIMs, CBSE-PMT, oth
er state entrance exams for professional courses must be ensured. 15% selections
of minorities in UPSCs, state civil services, Defence Services, Railway Service
s, Bank Services etc. must be targeted.
To achieve it, country’s top result oriented coaching institutes of IIT li
ke Bansal’s, Kota; Career Point, Kota; Ramanujan Institute of Maths, Patna; Super-
30, Patna; Rahmani-30, Patna; Ramayya’s, Hyderabad; FIIT-JEE, such institutes must
be enlisted for 100% fee reimbursement to minorities. That institutes should be
convinced to run special coaching/remedial batches for minority candidates with
full sponsorship from the government.
• Likewise, for IIM’s CAT and country’s other top management entrance tests, best coac
hing centres must be identified, and minority candidates must be awarded Full Fe
e Waiver Scheme to study from that centres only.
• To encourage minority students to prepare for various entrance/competitive exami
nations, the existing scheme for coaching for minorities needed to be modified t
o cover fees charged by reputed coaching institutes and it must attract good pro
fessionally reputed coaching institutes.
• In previous three years, among the selected institutes, no one provides the coac
hing for GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, ILTES, CFA, ICWA, GATE, NET-JRF exam, therefore, such
facility must be provided through renowned coaching / guidance centres for mino
rities.
• In the present days, private sector fields like IT, IT-related services, Hospita
lity, Tours & Travels, Food Processing, Retail & Sales Marketing, Biotech, Bio-I
nformatics, Clinical Research etc. provide huge employment. For admissions in th
e institutes running these courses, no coaching is being provided by the MoMA. I
nstitutes providing guidance, coaching in these areas/sectors must be enlisted f
or 100% fee reimbursement to minority students.
• It is also observed that, no remedial coaching to professional students of minor
ities is being provided under this Scheme, although it is desired in the scheme.
• Coaching for NET-SET-JRF/GATE is also not available at any centre.
• For Civil Services Exams coaching, no professionally reputed coaching centre is
selected.
Although, it is being started at JMI, AMU and MANUU from this year. But
it will not be a fruitful exercise as in case of Hamdard Study Circle. It will b
e more beneficial if special batches of minorities are conducted at Rao’s Study Ci
rcle or any premier institute’s professional expertise is made available exclusive
ly to the minorities.
For improving the educational standard and performance of minority stude
nts in Competitive Exams, talent, needy students must be identified well in adva
nce at their high school, junior college, degree college level by conducting Sta
te and National level Talent Search Exam exclusively for minorities like NTSE.
For nourishing their talents in science & research, they must be involve
d in summer Schools, vacational camps at National Science Institutes, Research C
entres. They must be assigned activities throughout their school, junior and sen
ior college level under the guidance of expert mentors like Kishor Vaigyanik Sch
eme.
For upbringing their competitive spirit, minority students must be coach
ed for school level Scholarship Exams, National Means Cum Merit Scholarship Exa
m (at VIII level), NTSE, Maths/Science Olympiad, Railway Recruitment Board & Ban
k Recruitment Exams at district head quarters.
Foundations/Bridge Course for UPSCs/State Civil Services are needed to b
e designed and such programmes must also be sponsored by MoMA.
Presently, no institute provide the coaching in Urdu medium, required nu
mber of coaching centres having expertise in Urdu medium coaching for competitiv
e exams and entrance exams must be selected since forthcoming Railway Recruitmen
t Exams will be conducted in Urdu & other regional languages while different Sta
tes and National level Entrance Exams for Engineering and Medicine are already b
eing conducted in regional languages and Urdu.
IV) National Fellowships for Minorities
It is declared during current year 2009-10 with a provision of Rs.15 Cr.
to grant the fellowships to minority candidates pursuing research M.Phil./Ph.D.
SCs & STs avail Rajiv Gandhi Fellowships for doing M.Phil./Ph.D. for whi
ch a budget of Rs.75 Cr. was made available during 2008-09 & Rs.79 Cr. are alloc
ated for this year 2009-10. If it is compared with STs only, Rs.29 Cr. were allo
tted in 2008-09 & Rs.42 Cr. are allotted in 2009-10 for doing M.Phil./Ph.D.
Hence, it is strongly urged that, this Fellowship Scheme must be impleme
nted immediately with increased budget at par with SCs & STs catering at least
3000 minority students each year for M.Phil. and Ph.D.
National Overseas Scholarship Scheme for minorities must also be formula
ted similar to those for SCs & STs so that minority students can also go abroad
for better, advanced educational and professional courses and research which are
generally not available in the country.
V) Maulana Azad Education Foundation :
An outlay of Rs. 500 Cr. provided in XI Plan for enhancement of its corp
us fund to Rs. 700 Cr. Only Rs. 110 Cr. are released during 2007-08 and 2008-09
. A budget provision of Rs. 115 Cr. has been made in 2009-10.
Scholarships for minority girl students awarded in 2007-08 are 4,011 an
d 2008-09 it is 12,064.
Grant-in-aid sanctioned to institutes in 2007-08 to 51 institutes is
Rs. 6.59 Cr. and in 2008-09, it is Rs. 24.51 Cr. released to 176 minority i
nstitutes.
This much amount being disbursed is very negligible, insufficient in ter
ms of its requirement in order to strengthen the existing minority institutes.
Hence, the Corpus Fund of MAEF needs to be increased at least to Rs.2,00
0 Cr.
VI. National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation
(NMDFC).
An outlay of Rs. 500 Cr. is provided during XI Plan. It provides term l
oans and implements Micro Financing Scheme with special focus on Women Self Help
Groups. In 2007-08, 47733 persons get benefited by an amount of Rs. 144.12 Cr.
In 2008-09, 51198 persons got the benefit with an amount of Rs. 130.72 Cr. Th
is year, in 2009-10 a budget of 125 Cr. as contribution to Equity of NMDFC is p
rovided.
MoMA has identified 338 towns across the country having minority concent
ration. P.M’s 15 Point Programme envisages enhanced credit support for minorities
for economic activities through NMDFC. NMDFC has launched Minority Cluster Dev
elopment Scheme in just 40 towns during 2008-09, out of the 338 identified towns
with allocation of just Rs. 1.5 Cr.
The total flow of credit from NMDFC is miniscule compared to the flow th
rough finance corporations for SCs, STs, OBCs.
Hence it is strongly demanded to increase the targets and waive off the
interest on all kind of loans given to poor, deserving minorities by NMDFC or Sc
heduled Banks at par with the new student loan scheme introduced this year 2009-
10, with a provision of full interest subsidy during the period of moratorium.
VII) Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP)
It has been launched from 2008-09 in selected 90 Minority Concentrated D
istricts (MCDs) to address the ‘development deficits’ specially in education, employ
ment, sanitation, housing, drinking water and electricity supply. The level of
deprivation in basic amenities parameters in MCDs is 3.7 to 6.9 % compared to na
tional average of 41.7 %.
This programme has an outlay of Rs.3780 Cr. in XI Plan.
In 2007-08, Rs. 120 Cr. were provided, but this scheme was not launched. In 200
8-09, Rs. 540 Cr. were allocated out of which only Rs. 270.85 Cr. were expended
for only 47 districts. For remaining districts, development plans were not rece
ived from the respective districts/approved by the MoMA. In the year 2009-10 Rs
. 990 Cr. are allocated for this programme.
The implementation of all the National Flagship Programmes and Schemes in P.M’s 15
Point Programme like Urban/Rural infrastructure development, Housing Schemes, H
ealth Schemes, Drinking Water, Sanitation Schemes, Education Schemes, Economic A
ctivities, establishment of new Polytechnics, Professional Institutes, Degree/PG
Colleges, Girls and Boys Hostels, Residential Schools, Model Schools, Skill Dev
elopment, Industrial Training, Vocational Training for minorities must be includ
ed in respective district plans as per the local needs.
Further, Baseline survey of additional districts with 15% population of minoriti
es (Muslims) must be conducted and new districts must be included in MsDP by inc
reasing its budget.
Regarding poor and slow implementation of this programme, State Agencies and loc
al authorities must be held responsible and strict measures must be taken agains
t them.
VIII) Leadership Development of Minority Women :
A proposed pilot scheme under XI plan for life, livelihood and civic emp
owerment of minority women is being introduced in the budget of 2009-10 with an
outlay of just Rs. 8 Cr.
We demand its immediate and sincere implementation with the enhanced bud
get.
IX) Central Wakf Council :
The Scheme of development of Urban Wakf properties, ownership matters, i
llegal encroachments requires a total effective and transparent mechanism. A co
mprehensive amendment of Wakf Act in the light of Sachar recommendations is stil
l pending. It must be implemented immediately with desired modification.
Central Government has rejected one of the important recommendation by S
achar Committee with regards to the protection of Awkaf. As per the Wakf Act of
1995, the C.E.O. of the Wakf Boards must have to be a Muslim. Therefore Sachar
Committee has recommended that, the Civil Services Examination conducted by U.P
.S.C., an examination for the cadre of Indian Wakf Services should also be inclu
ded and those Muslim candidates who qualify these examination be made C.E.O. of
the Wakf Boards, since there is a requirement of more than 200 Muslim officers i
n group 'A' to better manage the Central & State Wakf Boards.
For computerisation of records of Wakf properties Rs. 10 Cr. are allocat
ed this year 2009-10. Similarly State Wakf Boards must also be instructed to br
ing transparency in the Wakf matters, benefiting not the land mafia but the poor
deserving Muslims for their socio, educational and economic upliftment.
Number of Wakf Tribunals must be increased. They must be strengthened an
d Fast Track judgements of Wakf matters will help to get the benefits of Wakf pr
operties for desired cause.
The desired "Inclusive Growth" can be achieved by providing equal opport
unities to minorities and all the welfare programmes must not be just suggestive
in nature. The 15% targets (with specific distribution among minorities as per
their population) under all the central welfare schemes must be made mandatory.
Special Component Plan for Minorities just like that for SCs & ST
s can only solve this problem for which Minorities Budgeting Methodology must be
followed in Union Budget.
As evident from Sachar Committee, Muslims are far behind than the SCs, S
Ts, OBCs and other minorities. The special Muslim Minorities Component Plan is
the need of hour which must be implemented in forthcoming Five Year Plans. It m
ust have the provisions for earmarking population proportionate funds in each Ce
ntral Ministry and Department for the development of Muslims and other minoritie
s as that provided for SCs, STs, OBCs.
It may be divided in two parts : Part–A and Part-B.
Part-A should compile the budget outlays for all schemes meant exclusively for m
inorities ( or schemes where 100% benefit are to the minorities), Part-B should
compile the share of budget outlays in composite expenditure schemes which benef
it minorities at least 15% of the outlays for the scheme ( with sub-targets to d
ifferent minorities).