Govt denies scrapping of Ministry of Minority Affairs

In response to a Deccan Herald report that the Centre is likely to scrap the Ministry of Minority Affairs and merge it with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), the government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Monday clarified that no such proposal is under consideration.

However, highly placed sources in the government maintained that discussions have indeed taken place on effecting such a merger. They said it was felt that such a merger will facilitate effective implementation of all welfare schemes, including for the SCs, STs, backward classes and minorities.

DH had reported that the move was to have the ministry as the 'Department of Minority Affairs' under the MSJE and that all schemes being implemented by the ministry will continue after the merger. Currently, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani holds the additional charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs after Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi resigned in July. Irani retweeted the PIB tweet. The UPA government had carved out the Ministry of Minority Affairs from the MSJE in 2006.