Education Key to Minority Welfare, Says Minister

Hyderabad: Cheques of 20 lakh each under the Chief Minister’s Overseas Scholarship were handed over to the parents of selected students under the minorities weflare department. Mopeds were distributed to beneficiaries from the Fakir community, while sewing machines were given to women under the Indiramma Minority Mahila Shakti scheme. Cheques of 50,000 each were also distributed under the Minority Mahila Yojana.

Certificates were presented to candidates who had completed skill development and employment-oriented training programmes conducted by the department.

Speaking at the event, minorities welfare minister Mohammed Azharuddin said the government was focusing on education, skill development and employment to improve the socio-economic conditions of minority communities. He said the government was committed to the social and economic development of minorities, particularly those from economically and socially disadvantaged sections.

He said the minorities welfare department had received a budget allocation of 3,768 crore, the highest allocation so far in Telangana. Assistance such as mopeds, sewing machines, tools and equipment, scholarships and skill development training was being provided to create income opportunities and promote self-employment, the minister said.

He said 205 institutions under the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS) were providing education from Classes 5 to 12 to minority students. The government was spending around 1.2 lakh per student annually. He said 23 centres of excellence were functioning under society to provide coaching for national and state-level competitive examinations. Students from these institutions were securing ranks in entrance examinations such as NEET, IIT-JEE, CLAT and CUET, he said. The government was also taking steps to establish 10 residential degree colleges each for minority boys and girls in the first phase, Azharuddin said.