Author:
Publication: Deccan
Chronicle
Date: December 12, 2000
The Congress on Monday
charged that the State government has released only Rs 1 crore to the Minorities
Welfare Department of the total budget allocation of Rs 42 crore.
Former minister Mohd
Ali Shabbir told mediapersons that nine months of the financial veer has
elapsed but the government had not released even half of the budget because
of which the functioning of various institutions like the Urdu Academy,
AP Minorities Finance Corporation, Wakf Boards and other organisations
under it have been seriously affected.
Further, he said as many
as 32,000 applications filed by youth were pending in the minorities finance
corporation for loans. Shabbir announced that the Chandrababu Naidu
government had announced that it would provide grant,, for repair of mosques
following which the department received 8,000 applications. "But
not a single paisa was released," charged the former Minister. Minority
leaders S K Afzaluddin and K Anwar were also present.
"Chief Minister is using
minorities as propaganda tool. Even the Municipal administration
Minister Md Farooq during a visit to Mecca Masjid announced Rs 2 crore
but it was yet to be released. Why make false promises," asked the
leaders.
The situation has come
to such a pass that the Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority utilised
the funds earmarked for repair of 33 mosques at the rate of Rs 25,000 per
mosque in city towards salaries!
The leaders also said
that Naidu had promised to announce "Ramzan package" but backed out in
the last minute.
"The government has made
several promises for the minorities before the elections. but all
remained on paper."
"Even the schemes launched
with much fanfare such as Roshini were dropped abruptly," remarked Shabbir.
