Focusing on the development issue of minorities in India, the 6th All India Minorities Summit 2014 was held at India Islamic Culture Centre on Friday.

While Mahbubul Hoque (Chancellor of University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya and member of National Monitoring Committee for Minorities’ Education, Ministry of HRD, Government of India) was the chief guest, experts from different professions voiced their opinion on the topic ‘Minorities under new Business Environment: Developing skills and entrepreneurship.’

Referring to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India campaign’, the speakers enlightened the audience about where minorities in India are found lacking.

“We have a large market of consumer goods such as biscuits, chocolates and other eatable products. India has a ready market for these products but it has not yet entered in the consumer goods sector. It is importing goods from other countries. We should make in India. Thousands of unemployed youths belonging to minority community can be employed in making biscuits and chocolates in India. This apart, lack of education is the most important reason for no development of minorities (Muslims) in India,” said Dr J. Jamil, a speaker.

Based on the recent statistics, only three percent of the total Muslim youths in India go past the graduation level. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 66% are illiterate and in Haryana Muslim female illiteracy is universal (98%). Even in Assam with the highest percentage of Muslim population the female illiteracy among Muslims is 74 per cent. In the states of West Bengal, Karnataka, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, 60 to 65 per cent and in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujrat, 50 to 55 per cent of Muslim women are illiterate.

“We want to change the trend and mindset of Muslim entrepreneurs and their styles. Pondering upon this issue we started conducting All India Minorities Business Summit in 2009. We have organizing the summit every year across different states of India,” said Danish Reyaz, the organizer.