Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced proposals to set up a commission to provide direct affiliation for minority professional institutions with central universities and another to enhance the welfare of backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities through reservations in education and employment.

Inaugurating a conference on 'Minority Welfare and Education', he referred to the UPA government's Common Minimum Programme and said, "We propose to establish a commission for minority educational institutions to provide direct affiliation of minority professional institutions with the central universities. We will promote modern and technical education among all minority communities."

"We will also establish a National Commission to enhance the welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities including through reservations in education and employment," he told the first such meeting organised by Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh. 

Singh said additional funds would be allocated to the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation. He added that the government was committed to promote the Urdu language. 

Several Union ministers including Home Minister Shivraj Patil were present at the daylong conference, which was also attended by representatives of political parties, MPs, and religious and community leaders.

Arjun Singh, who took the initiative in organising the conference, said the government would try to implement whatever consensus was arrived at in the meeting. 

"Distressed" by the low representation of minorities both in public and private sectors, the PM called for finding effective measures to deal with the problem. He said it would be pertinent to see if the government's existing schemes for uplift of minority groups could be integrated with community-driven measures. He hoped an appropriate public-private partnership would emerge.

Assuring the UPA government's commitment to "systematically removing barriers" that prevent empowerment of minority communities and scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, the PM promised to allocate additional funds to the NMDFC.

Explaining the reasons behind the emphasis on education in the CMP, the prime minister said it was important to understand that investment in education was not merely a welfare measure. "It is also a means of empowerment," he said, adding that minorities should truly feel they were equal partners in the country's progress.

By empowering and creating capabilities, Singh said, education increased the productive potential of a society. He said it was not surprising that every modern industrial and newly industrialising economy has a literacy rate upwards of 80 per cent.

Singh said the level of educational attainment of the people was an important and essential determinant of their economic and social status.

Minister of State for HRD M A A Fatmi said the Centre would make all efforts to accord constitutional status to the National Minorities Commission. He said the UPA government was committed to the security of all minorities and weaker sections.

While introducing the theme, Mani Jacob, general secretary of the All India Association for Christian Higher Education said the government should formulate an education plan on modern lines and free schools in areas with high concentration of Muslims.

Terming it as a major initiative, Professor Mushirul Hassan, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University there was need to expand various programmes for SCs, STs, Muslims and other minorities. He demanded formulating an integrated education plan for Muslims and suggested setting up a Muslim Education Board.