Dr. Ram Lakshman, IAS (Rtd.) Advisor to Govt. for Social Welfare and Minority Affairs, convened a meeting with the higher officials of the Department of Minorities Welfare and reviewed its functioning. Mr. Mohammed Jalaaluddin Akbar, Director of Minorities Welfare, Prof. S.A. Shukoor, MD of Minorities Finance Corporation, Prof. Mustafa Shareef, Director of Dairatul Maarif, OU, Mr. Nicholas, MD of Christian Finance Corporation, Mr. Sultan Mohiuddin, CEO of Wakf Board and others attended the meeting. It is reported that Dr. Ram Lakshman instructed the officials to ensure proper implementation of welfare schemes pertaining to Minorities. He also told them to submit proposals for the utilization of the amounts allocated in the budget this year and also for the next year. He assured that it will not be a problem to release funds for the welfare activities of Minorities. He assured that he would represent to the Govt. for the enhancement of income limit of the parents for getting the benefits of Civil Service Coaching and scholarships of their children. He suggested that a scheme could be formulated to make poor persons belonging to Minorities owners of the taxi cabs. Under this scheme, there is a provision to grant loan to the extent of Rs. 5 lakh to poor families. Prof. S.A. Shukoor told that arrangements are being made for offering coaching to Minority candidates for Civil Service Exam. Many students are deprived the benefit of this scheme due to the income limit of Rs. 1 lakh. He suggested that this income limit should be raised to Rs. 10 lakh to benefit middle class families. Dr. Ram Lakshman agreed to this proposal and assured that he would make a representation to the Govt. He stressed the need for the construction of residential schools and hostels in each district. He recommended that a scheme should be introduced to declare the best school and the best students should be selected from these schools for sending them to highly reputed public schools. He felt the need to enhance the present income limit of Rs. 3 lakh for providing subsidies. He assured that Govt. would take all the steps to develop Dairatul Maarif of Osmania University. He agreed to the proposal of its Director for purchasing new printing machinery for the institute. Mr. Jalaaluddin Akbar, Director of Minorities Welfare suggested that Hajj flights could be arranged from Begumpet Airport instead of Shamsabad International Airport in order to save the inconvenience of the visitors of Hajj pilgrims.
–Siasat News