OBC category reaches 17 per cent in West Bengal-Mamata

 West Bengal Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee today announced inclusion of the 'Sheikh'
community in reservation for Muslims in the OBC category,
taking it to 17 per cent and claimed that her government had
completed all commitments given to minorities in 16 months.
The 'Sheikhs', who comprised about 20 lakh among the
10 crore population in the state, were now included in the
OBC, Banerjee said.
The chief minister claimed that her government had
completed in 16 months all commitments for minorities given
for five years.
"I have completed all my commitments to minorities for
five years within 16 months and now I have to think afresh for
the remaining part of my tenure," she told at a function.
Stating that her government has given Urdu the status
of second language in blocks comprising over 10 per cent Urdu
speaking population, Banerjee said that similar steps had also
been taken for Hindi, Gurmukhi, Oriya, Nepali and Santhali.
"The budgetary allocation for the Minority Affairs
department for the current year is likely to touch nearly Rs
1,000 crore from Rs 680 crore," she said.
Minority students would be trained to compete for IAS,
IPS, WBCS, WBPS and other competitive examinations under UPSC
and state PSC for social uplift, she said.
Completion of the Alliah University in the state at
a cost of Rs 350 crore would help the minorities in the state,
Banerjee said.
Outlining a list of schemes for minorities, Banerjee
hoped that they would soon attain self-reliance.
The chief minister said that the CBI would investigate
14 cases of scams in Wakf properties during the tenure of the
previous Left Front government and the remaining by the CID.
The chief minister gave away loans, scholarships and
other benefits to minority students under different schemes of
Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education department and WBMDFC.
She gave about Rs 12 lakh in cheques to 18,051
beneficiaries.
Beneficiary entrepreneurs, members of Self Help
Groups, students from primary to masters level, professional
and vocational courses and representatives of various schools
and colleges from several parts of the state attended the
programme.
The chief minister also called for amity and harmony
during the ensuing Durga puja and Eid festivals in the state.