Hyderabad: The Telangana Legislature Committee on Welfare of Minorities has directed the State Government to take measures to ensure full utilisation of Rs. 1203 Crore allocated for minorities’ welfare in the budget for 2016-17.
Speaking to media persons after chairing the committee’s meeting in Assembly premises on Wednesday, committee’s chairman Aamer Shakil said that the Minorities Welfare Department has been asked to ensure 100% utilisation of allocated funds. Further, he said that the committee itself would monitor the spending. He said that the MWD has been asked to expedite the process of recruit on 80 new posts.
Shakil also denied media reports wherein it was stated that government departments were not cooperating with Sudhir Commission, which was studying the socio-economic conditions of Muslims in Telangana State. He claimed that all departments have been providing required data to the Sudhir Commission. He said that the State Government was spending Rs. 10 crore on the study. When asked, he said that the Committee could not pass a resolution seeking 12% Muslim reservation although it can make certain recommendations to the government.
During its three hour long meeting, the Committee members proposed a separate Board for the protection and maintenance of Christian properties in the State on the lines of Wakf Board. The committee also wanted Sikhs, Jains and Christian to get all facilities which are being extended to Muslims.
Shakil informed that the committee would visit Hamdard Study Circle in New Delhi on August 9 and would request Hamdard University to set up its branch in Hyderabad to provide civil services coaching to students of minority communities. He said that the committee would also visit Ajmer in Rajasthan to find a suitable location for Rubat (Guest house for Telangana pilgrims). He said although Telangana Government sanctioned Rs. 5 crore, the Rajasthan Government did not allocate land for the proposed Rubat. He said that the committee would try to purchase private properties for the purpose.
The committee also reviewed the request sent by Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd seeking Wakf land at Begumpet on lease for metro rail project. Shakil said that the lease could fetch good revenues to the Wakf Board.
The meeting was also attended by MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, TRS MLA Vinay Bhaskar, MLCs Farooq Hussain, Altaf Hyder Rizvi and Mohammed Saleem, MWD Secretary Syed Omer Jaleel, Minorities Finance Corporation MD B. Shafi, Haj Committee Special Officer Prof. S.A. Shukoor and other senior officials. (INN)