The State government has been taking all efforts for the uplift of minorities and chalking out various special schemes for their economic and social development, according to M. Prakash, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission.
Addressing a meeting with representatives of minority institutions and associations at the Collectorate in Theni on Tuesday, he said education was the prime tool for the minorities to improve their standard of living and for their economic and social development. The government had been taking all measures to enable minorities to access school and higher education. It had sanctioned Rs. 63.8 crore for disbursal as education grant to schoolchildren studying up to SSLC and Rs. 38.19 crore for HSC students, he added.
It had also increased the number of annual Haj pilgrims from the State to 4,090 from 3,050. Annual grant for State Haj Council had been revised to Rs. 30 lakh from Rs.10 lakh. The quantum of rice offered to mosques during Ramzan fast period was increased to 4,800 tonnes from 3,000 tonnes, he noted.
Earlier, representatives of various Muslim organisations demanded that the reservation of 3.5 per cent for the minority communities in government employment be increased to seven per cent.
Some representatives expressed concern over lack of Muslim representation in the Commission. The Chairman sharply reacted that a Muslim representative in the Commission could not visit the district. Proper representation and equal importance were given to all minorities in the Commission, he said.
Some other members of these organisations said banks insisted on surety and collateral security for sanctioning education loans.
Mr. Prakash assured them that the Commission would take all demands of Muslims and Christians to the knowledge of the government for quick action.
Commission members A.M. James, Justin Selvaraj and Kalamani accompanied him. Collector N. Venkatachalam and Superintendent of Police V. Baskaran took part in the meeting.
