Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs

eason for this, as I said before, is that we the politicians have used even
reservations mainly as a tool in the pursuit of vote bank politics. Since this the
highest forum for national debate, let us do some honest introspection about our
role in this regard.
I suggest that as a first step, let us resolve to rise above vote bank politics.
Let us join hand for ensuring equitable opportunities and distribution of resources
to the under-privileged sections of society. Among the urgent steps to be taken
are the provision of 'Suitable environment for their growth, including
availability of livable housing, clean drinking water and access to elementary
heath care and quality education. We also believe that poverty and the Below
Poverty Line should be redefined in the light of ground realities.
Education of Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes
We have been slow to realize the potential of the role which education plays
in the task of nation building is truly vital, if not decisive. Unfortunately, universal
education, even of a quality such as we can provide, still remains a distant
dream for millions of our countrymen. I am in favour of massive subsidization
of the education sector and for this, the centre must come forth with liberal
doses of help. We in Punjab have already started a campaign for providing free
quality education to the poor and intelligent students through an initiative known
as the Adarsh School scheme. I strongly believe that this initiative needs to be
taken up at the national level. Education must be put among the highest priorities
of economic planners.
Here I would like to make a special case for a bold national initiative for
promotion of education among the minorities and the scheduled castes and
scheduled tribes. They have suffered the curse of exploitation and discrimination
for centuries and they fully deserve a special dispensation. I would strongly
advocate the convening of special sessions of the National Integration Council
the and the National Development Council devoted exclusively to the economic
welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the minorities.
Economic Development : Equitable Development
Development must not be viewed purely in terms of statistics, growth
rates, per capita incomes or even scores on comparative scales which can be
totally misleading because the benefits of this development have not reached
down to the common man, especially the poorest among the poor. Thus, while
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