Government will soon launch a scheme to improve enrolment of children belonging to minority community in schools. Volunteers from the community will be entrusted with the job of persuading school dropouts to join school. For every 100 children, one volunteer would be appointed, said Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
He was speaking at a programme organised at the Haj House here on Saturday evening in connection with the departure of the first batch of Haj pilgrims from the State.
The government was doing a lot to ameliorate the conditions of Muslim minorities in education and jobs. Even training was being imparted to educated youth. The budget for the Minority Welfare was increased to Rs.489 crore, Mr. Reddy said.
He spoke in halting Urdu much to the delight of Hajis. Congratulating them for their good luck, Mr. Reddy hoped every pilgrim would return a better person. He said government had released Rs.3 crore out of Rs.12.5 crore sanctioned for construction of a new Haj House near the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The project was delayed due to land dispute, the Chief Minister said and asked the Minority Welfare Minister Syed Ahmedullah to sort out the matter. Former Ministers Mohd. Ali Shabbir and Mohd. Fariduddin spoke. Earlier, Mr.Ahmedullah welcomed the pilgrims. Mayor Majid Hussain, MP M.A. Khan, MLA Virasat Rasool Khan and MLC Farooq Hussain were present. The Chief Minister shook hands with the pilgrims and flagged off the bus carrying them to the airport. He also released a book in Telugu on Haj and Umrah written by Journalist Fazalullah Khan.
