Minorities and deprived sections need to grow and grow uniformly: Jaitley

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said “the Centre is committed to advance the cause of minorities and other disadvantaged groups. The government is working on the premise that these sections need to grow and grow uniformly and striving to bring uniformity to the extent possible”.

He was delivering 8^th Annual Lecture of NCM on ‘’Economic empowerment of Minorities’’. Jaitley said that higher growth rate impacts all but there are areas where certain minorities lag behind and those areas need to be addressed.

Post 1991, improvement in conditions of deprived sections of the society has been faster compared to pre 1991 period but not uniform, he added. Education is the key to improve their condition faster and uniformly and conversion of skills into opportunities is another means to achieve it, he added.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Najma Heptulla, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs said that effective implementation of schemes and ensuring uniformity in development are the two guiding principles for “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”.

The Minority Affairs Ministry is focusing on implementing the schemes for six notified minorities to make a difference on the ground. To address the micro level deficiencies in development, the Ministry is emphasing on education, skill development and dispelling   social alienation of minorities especially Muslims.