Prime Minister's New 15-Point Programme for Minorities
Topic: Safeguards for Vulnerable Sections: SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities, Women and Children · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Prime Minister's New 15-Point Programme for Minorities (2006) is a welfare plan. It earmarks, or sets aside, 15% of targets and money under certain government schemes for minorities. The aim is to make sure minorities get a fair share of benefits in education, jobs and basic services. It also covers preventing communal riots and giving relief to victims.
Example
The programme earmarks 15% of targets for minorities in schemes such as ICDS (child nutrition and care), housing and bank credit. So a share of homes under a housing scheme, or of loans from priority bank lending, is meant to reach minority families.
Don't confuse with
- Religion-based reservation: that is a legal quota in jobs or seats. The 15-Point Programme only directs a share of scheme benefits to minorities. It reserves no posts.
- Ranganath Misra Commission's 15%: this was a reservation proposal for jobs and education, and it was never implemented.
Related concepts
- Sachar Committee
- Ranganath Misra Commission (2007)
- Religion-based reservation
- Waqf
- Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025