Govt committed to welfare of minorities: CM

Vijayawada: Reiterating his commitment to the welfare of minorities, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Saturday that the government spent Rs 23,175 crore for minority welfare through DBT(direct benefit transfer) and non-DBT schemes in the state in the last 53 months.

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna and freedom fighter Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, which is also observed as National Education Day and Minorities’ Welfare Day, the Chief Minister addressed a gathering at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation stadium.

The state government organised Minorities Welfare Day and Education Day at the IGMC stadium.

Addressing on the occasion, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that his father Dr Y S Rajaskehara Reddy worked for the welfare of Muslims by introducing reservations for them for the first time. “I have taken the cause forward and the government is working for their social, economic, educational and political empowerment.”

While there was not a single Muslim minister during the previous TDP rule, there are four Muslim MLAs and four MLCs as lawmakers, he said, adding that one of the Deputy Chief Ministers and Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council are from minorities.

He said his is the only government that has been implementing different welfare programmes for minorities with empathy and made a law for giving 50 per cent nominated posts to SC, ST, BC and minorities.

“Ours is the only government which issued orders for protecting the properties of Wakf Board and c

hurches, which has been paying monthly honorarium of Rs 10,000 each to imams and Rs 5,000 each to mouzzans and pastors and which is implementing sub-plan for minorities,” he said, adding that government has also introduced Urdu as second language in schools besides arranging Haj yatras from Vijayawada.

Along with SC, ST, BC communities, minorities are also reaping the benefits of various welfare schemes and YSR Kalyanamasthu Shaadi Tohfa has also helped Muslim girls

pursue education, the CM added.

The Chief Minister was felicitated by the minority leaders after he gave away the Life Time Achievement and other awards for 2023 to Muslim scholars.

While Dr S A Sattar Saheb (Kadapa district) was presented the Moulana Azad National Award, Baba Frakruddin (Annamayya district) and Dr Patan Karimulla (Chittoor district) received the Dr Abdul Haq Award.

Life Time Achievement Awards were presented to Mohammad Azmat Ali (Kurnool district), Patan Mohammad Khan (Chittoor district), Shaik Abdul Gaffar (Kurnool district), Syed Shafi Ahamad Quadri (Tirupati district) and Mohammad Gouse Arif (Kadapa district).

Deputy Chief Minister (Minority Welfare) SB Amzad Basha and other minority leaders attended the programme.