Government readies Rs 170-cr welfare plan for minorities …………..Prafulla Marpakwar I TNN
Mumbai: Nearly six months after setting up an independent department for them, chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has now drafted a Rs 170-crore action plan for the welfare and development of the minority communities. In addition, the government has also proposed to reserve flats for the minorities in the state-run Mhada.
As the state legislature has approved the Rs 170-crore proposal, the governments plans will now take off in the real sense. We are sure about implementing major development projects in the current year, an official said, adding that it had been proposed to provide special training for minority communities, which would help them get employment. The private sector would be roped in to train 2,000 students1,097 Muslims, 112 Christians, 22 Sikhs, 622 Buddhists, eight Parsees and 139 Jainsas part of the project.
Students, whose parents income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh, will be eligible for assistance under the scheme. The state minorities commission will implement the project.
The scheme also envisages a pre-matric scholarship scheme for 36,800 students. Under this, 75% of the grant will come from the Centre, while the state will provide the remaining Rs 6.8 crore. In view of the shortage of residential schools, particularly in districts such as Akola, Amravati, Hingoli, Buldhana, Nanded, Raigad, Washim and Yeotmal, it has been proposed to set up 16 schools across the state.
The state proposed to provide free uniforms to 2.5 lakh boys and 3.13 lakh girls studying in Urdu primary schools and also grant an allowance of Re 1 per day to parents to ensure that their wards attend school regularly. The government will open five industrial training institutes in places where the population of minorities is sizeable. In the new ITIs, 70% of seats will be reserved for minorities. It has also been proposed to build 10 hostels for girls, either studying or working, in Malegaon, Bhiwandi, Thane, Aurangabad, Washim, Buldhana, Parbhani, Hingoli, Latur and Nagpur.
The official said the state would launch short-term, job-oriented courses for girls from the communities. The state aimed to impart training to 25,000 girls under the scheme.