CM Devendra fadnavis tells minority department to make state, district level panels

For effective implementation of its newly launched scheme, aimed at bringing Muslims into the mainstream, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the minority department to make committees at state and district levels.

These committees will comprise members of all key departments that have been roped in for the scheme. The CM has also sought status report of the work done by these committees every three months.

Fadnavis took the decision in a meeting on August 19. "The meeting was held to discuss a few key projects that the minister wanted to see implemented on a priority basis. Besides mainstreaming the minority community, the projects included improving conviction rate and law and order situation across the state," said a senior officer, who was a part of the meeting.

As part of the minority development scheme launched in July, 2016, the Maharashtra government has asked the urban development department to identify five Muslim-dominated areas in Mumbai and 10 such areas in rest of the Maharashtra, which lack basic urban facilities such as roads, water, sewerage etc. The department has been told to provide all facilities in these areas.

Sources said this would be an annual feature. Every year, 15 minority-dominated areas will be picked up for civic work.

The scheme has picked up several departments — urban development, education, higher and technical education, skill development, women and child development and health — which have been assigned specific guidelines.

The scheme has also asked the education department to introduce Urdu as an optional subject in at least 100 government schools. "A lot of people want to learn Urdu language, but it is not taught in most government schools.

Under the scheme, if 20 and more students are willing to learn the language, the government will provide a teacher," said a senior officer.

Finding a direct link between growing radicalisation and a sense of alienation and discontent among the youth of the minority community, the Maharashtra government's home department had conceived the idea to bring Muslims into the mainstream. The idea first took birth in June 2015, after a couple of Muslim boys were caught on their way to join terror outfit Islamic State (IS). The scheme, however, was handed over to the minority department midway due to implementation technicalities.