Hyderabad: Minorities' schemes go for a toss as Urdu body remains headless

Hyderabad: The absence of higher-ups in the Telangana State Urdu Academy is leading to dysfunctioning of the Academy. Many schemes were introduced to encourage the minority poets, writers and journalists under the Academy, but due to non-release of budget for the past four years and the absence of higher ups many of the schemes have been badly affected. There are over 26 various schemes under the Academy but none of them are being implemented in the state for the minorities.

Functioning under the Telangana State Minorities Welfare Department's, Urdu Academy, which promotes the language has seen little spending of budgetary allocations. The government provisioned Rs 8 crore for the Urdu Academy during 2021–22.

The applicants of the Urdu schemes alleged that due to the absence of the Academy Chairman and lack of funds the institution has become paralysed. Hundreds of applications under 13 various schemes are seen piled up as no steps are taken by the Chairperson and non-implementation of budget.

According to sources, a chairman was appointed by the State government in July and since then he hardly visited the academy only 4-5 times leading to delay in activities due to no full-time chairman and director. "How can the academy carry out its activities with lack of budget and absence of chairman and other higher ups?" asked Asif Hussain, a social activist.

Inayath Ali, another activist, said that the Urdu Academy used to run computer centres where vocational training was given. But the task has been given to the Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation for the past three or four years. Other allocations include seminars, award functions, printing books and construction of Urdu Ghar and Shaadikhanas across the state. "All these activities are completely on halt as there are no funds and no higher authority to release the budget sanctioned by the government," he added.

Urdu Academy used to hold programmes like Makhdoom, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad awards, live achievement awards, monetary help on manuscripts, awards to publish books, financial help to small newspapers and many more under various schemes every year to promote and preserve the Urdu Language and Literature.

Urdu poets, writers and journalists have been making rounds to the Urdu Academy office for the past three years. Small newspapers were given Rs 6,000 during the holy month of Ramzan but last year authorities stopped the scheme under the pretext of non-release of budget.

Former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir alleged that the State Government has dismantled all the institutions of Minority Welfare. Due to a huge shortage of funds and staff, institutions like Urdu Academy, Minority Finance Corporation, and many more are unable to implement any welfare scheme. "Urdu Academy has a symbolic head while the government is yet to nominate a full-fledged body. Except for paying salaries to the Urdu Academy Chairman and the staff, the Government is doing nothing for the promotion of the Urdu language," he added.