Congress warns TRS Govt against scrapping of MWD

Hyderabad: The Congress party has warned the TRS Government against the scrapping of Minorities Welfare Department under the ongoing re-structuring of government departments.

Hyderabad City Congress (HCC) Minorities Department Chairman Waliullah Sameer, in a media statement on Thursday, said that the State Government has reportedly begun the process to dilute the functioning of Minorities Welfare Department by merging several schemes for minorities with other departments. "Minorities Welfare Department was created and separate funds were allocated by the then Congress Government in 1993 to ensure focussed development of the community. Subsequently, the funds for minorities' welfare were increased every year by the successive governments and the department was strengthened. Presently, funds for the welfare minorities were being spent under 28 different Heads of Account. However, TRS Government is now trying to dilute the existence of MWD by merging many departments/schemes with other departments. This is highly unacceptable," he said.

Sameer warned that the Congress party would take up agitation if the TRS Government disturb the present structure of Minorities Welfare Department or dilute any of its schemes. He said the restructuring of MWD would make tracking of status of implementation of various schemes impossible for the general public. Therefore, he demanded that the State Government continue with the present structure of MWD and make its functioning more transparent and accountable.

The Congress leader also ridiculed the review meeting held by Home Minister Mahmood Ali regarding monirities welfare on Wednesday. "Why the Home Minister held an in-camera meeting on such a crucial issue? A media statement was sent claiming that the Home Minister reviewed the status of sanction of scholarships, overseas grants to the Minority Students and other related issues. It was also informed that the Minister also enquired about the details of Pre-Metric Scholarships, Post Metric Scholarships, Reimbursement of Tuition fees, Overseas grants and instructed the officials for early action in this regard. But no figures were disclosed. The meeting was nothing but an exercise to cover up non-release of funds for the minorities' welfare," he said.

Sameer said more than 60% of the budget meant for minorities welfare in 2018-19 remained unspent. He said that the State Government had made following allocations in the budget for 208-19: Training and Employment for Minorities - Rs. 15 Crore; Telangana Christian Minorities Finance Corporation - Rs. 12 Cr; T-PRIME AND T-SEZ - Rs. 25 Cr; Construction of Sikh Bhavan - Rs. 7 Cr; Construction of Christian Bhavan - Rs. 29.99 Cr; Assistance to Dairatual - Marif-i-Osmania - Rs. 5 Cr; Pre-Matric Scholarships - Rs. 30 Cr; Providing Coaching to Minority Students in Telangana Study Circles - Rs. 8 Cr; Scholarships to Minority Students - Rs. 100 Cr; Subsidy for Bank Linked Income Generated Schemes - Rs. 160 Cr; Assistance to Centre for Education Development of Minorities - Rs. 4 Cr; (FAST) RTF - Rs. 248 Cr; Shaadi Mubarak - Rs. 200 Cr; Oversees Study Scheme for Minorities - Rs. 100 Cr; Dawat-e-Iftar and Christmas Feast - Rs. 66 Cr and Telangana State Minorities Residential Schools and Hostels - Rs. 735 Cr.

He said while not a single rupee has been release for a majority of schemes, the spending in other schemes was less than 50%. This spending will be reduced further and would remain untraceable if the Minorities' Welfare Department is diluted. "Instead of misleading the minorities, the Home Minister should give a complete break-up of scheme-wise spending," he said and alleged that the Congress party would not allow the TRS Government to continue injustices with the minorities.