NAVEENA GHANATE
Hyderabad
Unlike the blanket implementation of the Dalit Bandhu or BC assistance schemes, the Minority Bandhu scheme will be implemented on the basis of population in each constituency.
The CM had announced to provide Rs 1 lakh under the financial assistance scheme for minorities recently. The meeting on minorities’ welfare issues was convened on Tuesday by Finance Minister Harish Rao to discuss the release of funds and other modalities regarding the financial assistance scheme.
He said that the selection of beneficiaries and distribution of financial assistance would be based on population proportion in each constituency. The minister asked officials to focus more on constituencies where the population of minorities is high.
He instructed officials to distribute the Rs 1 lakh financial assistance immediately in all constituencies immediately. The Minister instructed officials to organise a distribution programme on August 16 to distribute cheques to beneficiaries.
As per the instructions of Chief Minister KCR, the minister asked the Finance Secretary to increase the allocation for the scheme to Rs 400 crore by adding Rs 130 crore to the existing allocation of Rs 270 crore. He also instructed officials to speed up the distribution of funds.
Finance Minister Harish Rao conducted a review meeting on Tuesday at the Secretariat with AIMIM Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Mahmood Ali, Koppula Eshwar, Gangula Kamalakar, Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, Minorities Secretary Omer Jaleel, Finance Secretary Ram Krishna Rao and officials of the Minorities Welfare Department to discuss the assurances of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao given on the floor of the Assembly recently.
Many issues regarding the sanction of Rs 1 lakh to minorities under the financial assistance scheme, the release of overseas scholarships, MTF, RTF, allocation of lands for graveyards, and the release of honorarium for Imams and Muezzins were discussed.
He said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is sincere regarding the welfare and development of minority communities in the state. He said that the two of the assurances, that is, regarding graveyards and remuneration for Imams and Muezzins have already been honoured.
He instructed the Chief Secretary to review the welfare schemes meant for BCs, STs, and minorities.
The Ministers and officials discussed the allocation of land for graveyards and remuneration for Imams and Muezzins at the meeting. He asked officials to compile all requests in the state for graveyards and Eid Gahs and asked officials to speed up things.
Regarding remuneration for Imams and Muezzins, he instructed officials to keep checking the process to release remuneration. Some issues regarding works on the Pahadi Shareef Dargah ramp work, Dargah Barhana Shah rent revision, Christian graveyards, RTF, MTF, grant-in-aid and others were also discussed at the meeting.
Finance Minister Harish asked officials to look into the matter and submit reports on issues raised at the meeting. He asked officials to speed up pending works and release funds to complete works fast.
On Shaadi Mubarak, the minister instructed officials to speed up the process and ensure that the beneficiaries get the relief amount immediately.
