The Buddhist body has also demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir Government set up its State Minorities Commission and government support for Buddhist educational institutions on the lines of those existing for Muslim Madrasas.

At present only 17 states have set up its minority commissions.

Habibullah said that minority communities in Gujarat were facing problems, particularly after the 2002 riots. The Sikhs, who were rehabilitated in Kutch area after the Partition of the country in 1947 and who subsequently developed this desert area, are being asked to leave this place. 'This is an unfortunate affair,' said Habibullah.

He informed that at the intervention of NMC, the Bihar government has decided to amend the Bodhgaya Temple Act so that the District Magistrate, irrespective of any religious community he belongs, can preside over the Temple Board. At present the laws says that only a Hindu District Magistrate can preside over the Temple Board. If the District Magistrate concerned is not a Hindu, then his nominee would preside over the Temple Board.

He also said that also attended to problems of the victims of the riots in Kandhamal in Odisha.

The Union Government is planning to include Jains in the minority community so that the benefits of various welfare schemes of the government could be extended to that community.

Addressing the 9th Annual Conference of State Minorities Commission here on Monday, the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, K Rahman Khan informed that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh would soon launch the National Wakf Development Corporation Ltd (NAWADCO).

'This is an ambitious initiative to finance the development of Wakf properties for public purposes throughout the country,' he said.

He also informed that the government intends to set EOC to give equal access to opoortunity and rights to the deprived groups in minority communities.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Rigzin Spalbar said that the government should extend support to the religious schools of other minority communities, particularly the Buddhists as it doing for the Madarsas of Muslim community.

He alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir Government has not yet set up its State Minorities Commission, despite several requests.

Spalbar demanded equitable representation for Buddhists in all the bodies for minority communities and also equitable share in its welfare programmes. Since Ladhak is a farflung remote area, the scholarships for students should be disbursed in cash and not through bank transfer as bank branches are non-existant in many such areas.

The Secretary in Rajasthan Government, Rohit Brandon said that it was diffult for poor students of minority communities to open bank accounts as banks insists on initial deposits. For getting benefits under several programmes of the government, the officials are asking for certificates proving a candidate's status as belonging to a minority community. This is an impediment, he said.