THE FIFTH annual general meeting of the Association of Madhya Pradesh Inter-diocesan Catholic Schools (MPICS) that concluded on Sunday at the Pastoral Centre emphasised that Minority Status Certificate is mandatory for the educational institutions owned and run by the Christians.
It was informed that the Minority Welfare Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh is the authority in the State that is competent to issue the certificates. However, if the State Government refuses to issue the said certificate then the institutions are free to approach the Central Government for the same through the Commission for Minority Educational Institutions in the Government of India under the HRD Ministry.
The Regional Public Relations Office of the Catholic Church has approached the Government of Madhya Pradesh for the issuance of certificates and it is expected that the Government would soon declare rules and regulations for the same. For further details on the Minority Status Certificates, Father Anand Muttungal, PRO and Spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops Conference of MP & Chhattisgarh could be contacted at Catholic Church, Seva Sadan, Tulsi Nagar (cell phone 9425150077, 0755- 5535044, fax: 0755- 2766684).