Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said that the State government would extend reservation to poor Muslims on the basis of population while replicating the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka models where the total reservations for weaker sections exceeded the upper limit of 50 per cent set by the Constitution.
Special programmes
He noted that the population of Muslims in Telangana was 12 per cent and a majority of them were poor.
The government will also implement special programmes for Muslims after the Commission of Inquiry to study socio-economic and educational status of the community submitted its report.
Reviewing the functioning of the commission, Mr. Rao felt the commission headed by retired IAS officer G. Sudhir should carry out an in depth and scientific study, touring three or four Assembly constituencies in each district. Its members should meet Muslims in rural and urban areas and document their living conditions by photographs and videographs. The study should be conducted with the aid of three to four agencies.
The political parties and social organisations should be contacted and inquire how the living standards of Muslims could be enhanced.
Long term plans
After the study, short, medium and long term plans for their uplift should be suggested in the report. The government has already taken up several programmes for Muslims by enhancing budgetary allocation. Yet, a lot remained to be done for them because some families did not even earn Rs. 1,000 a month, Mr. Rao said.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, members of Kund committee appointed by the Central government Ameerullah Khan and Prof. Abdul Shaban and minorities welfare secretary Umar Jaleel. The study taken up by Sachar committee during UPA rule, Kund committee and Rahman committee set up by Maharashtra government was also discussed.
The government decided to include Mr. Ameerullah Khan and Prof. Shaban in Mr. Sudhir led commission. Prof. Shaban was also a member in Rahman committee.
It was decided to convene a meeting of the commission in the first week of August, now that it has got new members.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao says population of Muslims in Telangana is 12 per cent and a majority of them are poor
