Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Gulbarga, Bidar are ‘minority districts’

GULBARGA: The Union Government has identified 90 “minority concentration” districts in the country which are relatively backward in all socio economic indicators and basic amenities parameters for taking up Minority Centric Multi Sectoral District Development Plans in a phased manner.

The Centre had initiated an exercise to identify the districts on the basis of minority population of census 2001 and backwardness parameters, which included religion-specific socio-economic indicators such as, literacy level, female literacy rate, work participation rate, female work participation rate, percentage of households with “pucca” walls, safe drinking water, electricity and water closet latrines.

Among the 90 districts selected, only two districts — Gulbarga and Bidar are from Karnataka.

Of the minority concentration districts, 53 districts with the socio-economic and basic amenities parameters below the national average have been classified under Category “A”, 20 under Category “B”, and 17 districts under category B “1”.

Focus of the programme would be on rural and semi-urban areas in these districts. However, according to the recommendation of the task force of the Union Government, 77 towns coming under these 90 districts would be excluded from multi-sectoral development plan since a separate plan for development of these urban towns was on the anvil.

Major stress will be placed on implementation of the government schemes, and Central Ministries and departments have been directed to prepare their plans in a manner that these districts got the attention and resources required.

The programmes for poverty alleviation, education, health and other welfare schemes will get attention in these districts. Existing schemes for infrastructure development will be taken on priority basis.

The schemes included implementation of Prime Minister’s new 15-point programme for welfare of minorities.

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