National Commission for Minorities

Subject : Polity

Section: National body ( Statutory Bodies)

Concept :

Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, announced the formation of the Global Punjabi Association (GPA).
The objective of the association is to unite the Punjabi community spread across the globe and promote their language and culture.
According to members, the GPA—a registered body under the Societies Act—will be headquartered in Amritsar.
It take steps to provide necessary help and guidance to talented and deserving Punjabis for competitive examinations, placement in services, entrepreneurship and other enterprises.
The GPA was to take up the issues related to Punjab/Punjabis with the concerned authorities/organisations/Governments in a peaceful, democratic and lawful manner for their prompt redressal.

About National Commission for Minorities

It is a statutory body under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 for the purpose of safeguarding and protecting the interests of minorities as provided in the Constitution of India and laws enacted by the Parliament and the State Legislatures.
National Commission for Minorities consist of Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and five Members.
The Members including the Chairperson shall be from amongst the minority communities.
Each Member holds office for a period of three years from the date of assumption of office.
The Act mentions an annual report, together with the memorandum of action taken on the recommendations contained therein, as well as the reasons for non-acceptance of the recommendations, if any, be tabled before Parliament annually.
The NCM Act defines a minority as “a community notified as such by the Central government.”
Initially five religious’ communities, viz., Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities by the Union Government. Further in 2014, Jains were also notified as another minority community.
State Government constituted State Minorities Commissions in their respective State Capitals.

Functions:

Evaluating the progress of the development of minorities under the Union and States.
Safeguarding for minorities rights provided in the Constitution and in laws enacted by Parliament and the state legislatures
Making recommendations for the effective implementation of safeguards for the protection of the interests of minorities by the central or state governments.
Looking into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of minorities
Getting studies to be undertaken into the problems arising out of any discrimination against minorities and recommending measures for their removal.