Vijayawada: Minority welfare minister NMD Farooq has thanked Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for releasing Rs 45 crore funds for the payment of honorarium to 5,000 Imams and 5,000 Mouzans in the state.

In a press release on Tuesday, minister Farooq said the previous YSRCP government had not released the honorarium to the Imams and Mouzans and ignored the welfare of Imams. He recalled that CM Chandrababu Naidu had launched the payment of honorarium to Imams and Mouzans and now again continuing it releasing funds related to the past six months.

He said the government issued instructions for the arrangements at the mosques and places of worship such as Edgah for the ensuing Ramzan festival to be celebrated in the state.