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Reiterating his commitment to the welfare of minorities, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said that the state government is working for the social, economic, educational and political empowerment of the communities.
The Chief Minister said that the government has spent Rs 23,175 crore for the welfare of minorities through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) and non-DBT schemes out of the Rs 2,40, 000 crore incurred on various welfare schemes in the last 53 months. While addressing a gathering on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, which is also observed as National Education Day and Minorities' Welfare Day, YS Jagan said that his father YS 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 ours is the only Government that has been implementing different welfare programmes for minorities with empathy and made a Law for giving 50 per cent of the nominated posts to SC, ST, BC and minorities. "Ours is the only government which has issued orders for protecting the properties of Wakf Board and Churches, which has been paying monthly honorarium of Rs 10,000 each to imams and Rs 5,000 each to mouzams and pastors and which is implementing sub-plan for minorities," he said, adding that the government has also introduced Urdu as a second language in schools besides arranging Haj Yatras from Vijayawada. The Chief Minister was felicitated by the minority leaders after he gave away the Life Time Achievement and other Awards for 2023 for Muslim scholars. While Dr SA Sattar Saheb (Kadapa district) was presented with the Moulana Azad National award, Baba Frakruddin (Annamayya district) and Dr Patan Karimulla (Chittoor district) received the Dr Abdul Haq award. Lifetime 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. (ANI)
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