Minorities Panel to Launch Survey
Published: 10th November 2014 06:02 AM | Last Updated: 10th November 2014 06:02 AM | A+A A-
KOCHI: The Kerala State Commission for Minorities will start a survey to identify the problems being faced by Christian minorities in the state to begin welfare programmes and bring them to the mainstream.
The Commission members said that neither the state government nor the Centre had tried to identify the problems being faced by backward sections within the minority communities. “Although they form a small group in North India, Christians constitute about 65 lakh of people in the state. The backward communities who are oppressed by the religious and government authorities are the ones we are targeting through the survey,” said Commission chairman Veerankutty. The survey will include financial, social and educational situation of the marginalised sections under various Church groups.
The members also denied allegations that the commission had spent around `12 crore and settled only 400 cases so far. “We had spent only `1.21 crore as salary expense and `54 lakh for infrastructure and maintenance during the 19 months. We have heard around 2,000 petitions. some of them were sorted out on the spot and the others are being reviewed in order to be solved,” said Commission member Mariyumma. V V Joshy and Premachandran were also present during the press conference.