Education, jobs main planks of minorities scheme

NEW DELHI - Enhancing opportunities for education and equitable share in economic activities would be the focus of the prime minister’s new 15-point programme for minorities, parliament was told Thursday.

In a written reply to Ratna De (Trinamool Congress) and others in the Lok Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said employment through credit schemes and efforts to increase the representation of the minority members in government jobs and public sector units will be other major schemes.

Improving the living conditions of minorities and control of communal disharmony and violence will also be focus areas of the programme being implemented in the 11th Five Year Plan, the minister said.