Rs 20 crore for Ramzan festival: Dy CM

Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali and Home Minister Nayani Narsimha Reddy today said that the government will spend Rs 15 crore for distribution of gifts to poor Muslims to mark the holy Ramzan festival. As a routine the government is making elaborate arrangements for conducting the holy Ramzan festival that is to begin in May second week and shops and business establishments will remain open during the period.

Addressing a press conference at Secretariat here after holding a review meeting on Ramzan preparation, Mahamood Ali said that Rs 15 crore has been allotted for distribution of clothes among four lakhs of poor Muslims. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, a secular leader in the country, is kind enough to offer adequate funds for the Ramzan festival. The officials were asked to ensure that shops, business establishments will remain open during month of Ramzan festival, Ali said. For upkeep of mosques, the government has offered Rs 5 crore and officials concerned were asked to make necessary arrangements for the holy festival and departments will provide funds if necessary, he remarked.

The deputy chief minister further said that they expect that about four lakh of poor Muslims will get clothes from the government at 800 mosques in the state on the occasion. In addition to giving gift packets, it was decided to conduct Iftar Parties for the poor Muslims at the Mosques. He asked Chief Secretary SK Joshi to instruct collectors to make arrangements in advance in the districts.(NSS)