MALDA, Oct 19: The state government has identified 12 "minority concentrated" districts, including Kolkata, in the state and has planned to establish offices for minority affairs in each district.
According to state minority development officials, the department has identified Malda and Murshidabad (both bordering Bangladesh) where Muslim population is more than 50 percent. One such district office is already operational in Cooch Behar. Yesterday, the minister for minority development and madrasah education, Mr. Abdus Sattar, inaugurated another office at Satya Choudhury Indoor stadium here.
Mr Sattar claimed that the offices would be the first of their kind in India. The minister informed that the district-level offices, which would come up in the first phase of the overall plan, would start functioning for overall minority development, including madrasah education, financial assistance and schemes for minorities, development of wakf properties and other related matters.
The other districts which have been identified as "minority concentrated", are Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpur, Birbhum, Nadia, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, and Burdwan.
The department plans to set up minority cells in seven other districts. The cells' functions would be under the direct supervision of the district magistrates. Kolkata will not have any minority cell as the department will directly control the issues related to the minority community.
In the second phase, beginning with Murshidabad, where the population of the minority community has exceeded 60 percent, minority affairs departments will be set up in the districts identified as minority concentrated.
The government plans to appoint one District Officer for Minority Affairs (DOMA) in each of the 12 districts along with Minority Development Officers (MDO), Assistant Inspector of Schools and Sub-Inspector of Schools (Madrasah Education), Inspector of wakf and other office staff, including computer assistant.
The total staff strength for the 12 districts will be 210.
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