Minorities must have first claim on resources: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said "innovative plans" would have to be devised for the minorities, particularly Muslims, to empower them to share equitably the fruits of development.

"These must have the first claim on resources."

Speaking in the context of "collective priorities" for the 11th Plan, he referred to the programmes for uplift of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the other backward classes, the minorities and women and children. "The special component plans for the SCs and the STs will need to be revitalised."

Addressing the National Development Council here, Dr. Singh said the Centre had myriad other responsibilities, whose demands would have to be fitted into its overall resource availability. The Planning Commission would review ongoing programmes to eliminate those which outlived their original rationale.

"But we cannot escape from the fact that the Centre's resources will be stretched in the immediate future and an increasing share of the responsibility will have to be shouldered by the States."

Plan priorities
Outlining the collective Plan priorities, he mentioned agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in rural infrastructure and the essential public investment needs of general infrastructure along with programmes for the uplift of SCs and STs . .

Source: The Hindu