Minister Farooq Says AP Spent ₹9,760 Crore on Minority Welfare During Two Years
He explained that minority families have benefited under several flagship schemes
VIJAYAWADA: Minister for minority welfare, law and justice Nasyam Mohammed Farooq on Thursday announced that the Andhra Pradesh government had spent ₹9,759.70 crore on minority welfare over the past two years. “The government is continuing to accelerate inclusive development under the Swarna Andhra Pradesh – 2047 vision,” Farooq underlined.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat, he said the government under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has made minority welfare, social justice, and transparent governance key priorities, while advancing reforms in education, employment, economic empowerment, Waqf administration, Haj services, digital governance, and the judicial sector.
The minister pointed out that ₹16,147.23 crore had been allocated to the Minority Welfare department during the 2024-25 to 2026-27 period, of which ₹9,759.70 crore have already been spent, including ₹4,850.91 crore on welfare programmes.
He explained that minority families have benefited under several flagship schemes. Under NTR Bharosa, 3.38 lakh beneficiaries received ₹3,668.74 crore, while 92,105 families received ₹138 crore under Talliki Vandanam. Post-matric scholarships worth ₹165 crore have been provided to 67,852 students, and ₹221.36 crore have been released to 12.66 lakh families under Deepam-2.
Financial assistance has been extended to auto drivers, fisherfolk, imams, mouzans, pastors, Haj pilgrims, and on Ramzan programmes and PMJVK initiatives. 10,543 youth underwent training in various skills through the Centre for Educational Development of Minorities (CEDM).
Farooq said the government is expanding educational opportunities through digital coaching platforms, Taleem-e-Hunar scheme, free coaching for TET, DSC, NEET, and EAMCET aspirants, and workbooks for 7,000 Urdu-medium SSC students.
On Waqf administration, the minister said surveys of 1,500 institutions have been completed, 88 acres of encroached land recovered, lease auctions conducted for 616.65 acres, details of 5,028 institutions uploaded to the Central Portal, and ₹5.74 crore released for repairs and development works.
He said 1,630 pilgrims had completed Haj in 2025 and 1,990 undertook the Haj in 2026 with government support. Financial assistance has been provided to pilgrims using the Vijayawada embarkation point, while 177 pilgrims have been paid compensation of ₹24.40 lakh for delayed baggage.
Farooq said infrastructure works worth ₹231 crore are under implementation through PMJVK, with proposals worth ₹1,000 crore planned for 2026–27. AP government has also mobilised ₹10.60 crore under PM-VIKAS for skill development, promotion of Urdu language and digital literacy.
The minister, who also holds the Law portfolio, said ₹16 crore have been spent on court infrastructure, enhanced welfare measures for advocates, expansion of e-Courts and creation of 305 new posts. During 2026–27, the government plans to establish 96 new courts, recruit 1,770 personnel, provide skill training and self-employment support to nearly 30,000 beneficiaries, and pursue the establishment of a permanent High Court Bench in Kurnool, Farooq added.