A delegation of intellectuals and Ulemas of minority community led by Rasool Khan, general secretary, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee called on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday and requested him to allocate a separate budget of Rs 200 crore for repairs of religious places like mosques, dargahs and protection of grave yards.
The delegation members explained to him that the much needed repair works were not carried out for many years due to a stay order of Andhra Pradesh High Court, which was recently vacated.
They also requested the Chief Minister to issue instructions to the authorities of the Social Welfare Department, Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu and BC Welfare Department for taking steps to ensure equitable distribution of funds for minorities especially Muslims in BC- E category.
The delegation congratulated Chief Minister and, APCC president Botcha Satyanarayana, who was also present there, for increasing the direct budget allocation to minorities by Rs 200 crore for the next financial year.
They expressed their happiness that with this allocation of the required funds, number of minority welfare schemes such as margin money loans, mass marriages, modernisation of Wakf Board, development of Urdu Academy could be implemented once again for the benefit of minorities.
Besides Rasool Khan a host of others including Justice E Ismail, Moulana Syed Shah Asrar, Hussain Razvi, Moulana Syed Shah Fazlullah Quadri, Saheb, Moulana Syed Shah Auhlia Hussaini, Moulana Fasiuddin Nizami, Moulana Liaqat Hussain Razvi and Janab Khaja Khaleelullah, were also part of the delegations.
–Agencies