Saturday, October 8 2005 12:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chandigarh: Asserting that his Government had taken steps to empower minorities and weaker sections, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Oct 8, 2005) said a new 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities with 'specific timelines and targets' and a 'path-breaking' law to protect the land rights of tribals was on the anvil.

Addressing the Congress Chief Ministers' Conclave here, he said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government would ensure that 80 per cent of the vacancies in SC/ST reservation quota jobs in Government will be filled on a time-bound basis" and asked state governments to be 'pro-active' in ensuring implementation of the proposed welfare schemes.

"We have taken several steps to empower Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women, children, the disabled and senior citizens and people living in the far reaches of 'this vast land,' Singh told the first conference of party Chief Ministers since the Congress-led government came to power at the Center last year.

Maintaining that his Government had taken steps to economically and socially empower the minorities and widen education and employment opportunities for SCs, STs and minorities in the private sector, he said "We propose to come forward with a new 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities, with specific timelines and targets."

A high-level committee was putting together information the social and economic status of the minorities in the country, he told the second day of the meet in presence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

"A path-breaking legislation to protect the land rights of tribals is on the anvil," Singh said as he gave lessons to the 15 party Chief Ministers and a Deputy Chief Minister on governance and advised them against indulging in populism.

He noted that his Government had brought legislation to prevent domestic violence against women and to secure their property rights.

The Government had taken several steps to ensure that commitments made in respect of the empowerment of SC and ST are fulfilled in a time-bound manner and noted that a Group of Ministers on Dalit Affairs was monitoring the efforts to promote welfare of SC, the Prime Minister said.

"There can be no better way of empowering the weaker sections of our society than investing in their capabilities and this is what we are doing," Singh said.

Observing that the most important contribution of Congress in Government had been to bring the nation back to the politics of moderation and the economics of equity and development.

"The weaker sections of society, the marginalized, the depressed, the minorities feel a new sense of belonging and ownership in the destiny of our nation," he said.