Lok Sabha Question No. 777 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-02
Subject: Minority Act
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Gopal Chinayya Shetty

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 777 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2021

## MINORITY ACT

## 777.  SHRI GOPAL CHINNAYA SHETTY:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Minority Act is likely to be implemented to protect the interests of minorities in  Jammu and Kashmir after the removal of Article 370 and 35-A from Jammu and Kashmir;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the number of minority families likely to be benefitted by the implementation of said Act in Jammu and Kashmir?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a) to (c) With the notification of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 No.34 of 2019 (Sr, No.63), the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 as applicable in  other  parts  of  the  country  has  also  been  extended  to  the  UTs  of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.   The abolition  of Article 370 has removed  the obstacles in the path of progress and prosperity in Jammu & Kashmir and LehLadakh. 170 Central laws , which were not applicable earlier, have now been made applicable in this region. Out of the 334 State laws, 164 laws have been repealed and 167 laws have been adapted, according to the Indian Constitution.

Now people of Jammu & Kashmir and Leh- Ladakh are also able to take the benefits  of  many  important  Acts  like  The  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and Compulsory Education Act,2009, The Representation of People Act,1951, The National  Commission  of  Women  Act,1990,  The  Protection  of  Human  Rights Act,1994,  The  Protection  of  Women  from  Domestic  Violence  Act,2005,  The

Delimitation  Act,2002,  The  Code  of  Civil  Procedure,  1908,  The  Code  of Criminal  Procedure,  1973,  The  Scheduled  Caste  and  the  Scheduled  Tribes  ( Prevention of Attrocities ) Act,1989, The Right to Information Act, 2005, The Aadhar  (  Targeted  Delivery  of  Financial  and  other  subsidies,  benefits  and services  )  Act  2016,  The  Muslim  Personal  Law,  The  Muslim  Women  ( Protection of Rights on Divorce ) Act,1986 etc. In so far as the Acts which were implemented  to  protect  the  interests  of  every  section  of  the  society  including Minorities  which  are  also  now  applicable  to  Jammu  &  Kashmir  are,  National Commission  for  Minorities  Act  1992,  The  Waqf  Act  1995  and  The  National Commission for Minority Educational Institutes Act, 2005, etc. Besides, other socio-economic  reforms  are  also  now  implemented  after  abolition  of  Article 370.

After abolition of Article 370, the people of Jammu-Kashmir have also become an equal partner of development process. The people of Jammu-Kashmir have also  been  immensely  benefitted  from  various  welfare  schemes  of  the  Central Government,  some  of  the  prominent  benefits  accrued  to  the  people  are  listed below:

-  Prime Minister's Development Package of Rs 80,000 Crore, to strengthen the Socio-economic infrastructure and for the development of Jammu & Kashmir. After the reorganization of the erstwhile State, 53 projects of Rs 58,477 Crores in Jammu & Kashmir are under progress.
-  As per the recommendations of the 15 th Finance Commission, the UT of Jammu  &  Kashmir  has  been  sanctioned  a  grant  of  Rs.  30,757  Crores during 2020-21.
-  For  the  people  living  in  areas  adjoining  the  international  border,  a provision of 3% reservation in jobs and educational institutions has been effected.
-  After the reorganization of UT of Jammu & Kashmir, elections of Gram Panchayats  and  Zila  Panchayats  were  conducted  successfully.  Block Development Council elections were held for the first time with a voter turnout  of  98.3  %.  There  were  record  participation  in  the  recently  held District level elections as well. The above successful conduct of elections

symbolizes  the  strengthening  of  democratic  institutions  and  the  peoples participation in democratic process.

-  About 1.77 lakh people from poor classes have been given free medical treatment in Jammu & Kashmir under 'Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Scheme'. 'PM Kisan Scheme' has benefitted more than 12 lakh  farmers  of  Jammu-Kashmir.  'Saubhagya  Scheme'  has  benefitted 3,87,501  people,  'Ujjwala  Scheme'  12,60,685  people,  'Ujala  Scheme' 15,90,873 people. A total of 8,88,359 people have benefitted from various social  security  schemes.  1.34  lakh  houses  have  been  constructed  under PM Awas Yojana (rural).
-  Out  of  50  newly  sanctioned  colleges,  48  colleges  have  been  made operational with around 6,700 students.
-  7  new  medical  colleges  were  operated/approved;  also,  5  new  Nursing colleges were approved.
-  IIT Jammu got its own campus and the work of AIIMS, Jammu has also started.
-  The  protection  of  rights  of  the  women  marrying  outside  Jammu  & Kashmir, as well as their children, has been ensured.

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