A minority development fund has been created in Uttarakhand with an initial grant of Rs four crore from Bahuguna government for the overall development of minority dominated areas in all the 13 districts of the state.
A coordination committee headed by the minority welfare secretary will soon be set up to clear proposals which are to be implemented with financial assistance from this fund, officials said here today.
Creation of this fund will facilitate development of even those minority dominated areas which are not getting benefits of the Centre-sponsored Multi-Sectoral Development Programme which covers only areas with 40 per cent minority population, a criteria fulfilled only by Haridwar and Udhamsingh Nagar districts of Uttarakhand, they said.
However, there are also other areas in the state which though out of the ambit of MSDP have substantial minority population and are neglected in terms of development.
The Minority Development Fund has been created in recognition of this fact so that development reaches even those areas which despite having substantial minority population don't meet the MSDP criteria, the officials said.
Infrastructural and community development projects will be taken up with these funds, they said.
