The sachar committee report: a comment on the findings, recommendations and the government response
Student name: Ms Saumya Shrivastava
Guide: Dr Priya Bhagowalia
Year of completion: 2011
Host Organisation: Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA)
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Jawed A. Khan
Abstract: The Sachar Committee Report, released in 2006, is a detailed report which systematically
documented comprehensive information on the socio economic status of the Indian
Minorities. The facts presented in the report indicated that the Muslims are among the
most deprived social groups in India. Given this finding, the Report made certain
recommendations to help deal with the deprivation of the Minorities, especially Muslims
in the country.
Given this background, objective of the present study is to briefly look at the findings
of the Sachar Committee Report, analyse its recommendations and assess the
Government’s budgetary response to these recommendations at the Union level of
the government. The paper has tried to evaluate the response of the government on three
fronts, scheme design, budgetary outlays and utilisation and implementation issues. The
analysis draws from the existing literature to develop an understanding of the issues and
the secondary data available in the Government budgets and reports to assess the
budgetary response.
The government response though speedy was shallow. The schemes implemented
suffered from scheme design, low budgetary outlays, poor funds utilisation, and inability
to meet the targets set (both physical and financial) as well as implementation problems
at the ground level. The government initiative as response to the Sachar
recommendations was found to be inadequate. Based on the issues encountered, the paper
has also made certain recommendations to address the problems at hand.
