Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao said that the Telugu Desam government was committed to the welfare and development of Muslim minorities in the State. The government was distributing ‘Chandranna Ramzan tohfa’ to 12 lakh Muslim families, at an estimated cost of Rs.65 crore, all over the State in connection with Ramzan.
He participated as chief guest at an Iftar party, hosted by the District Administration, at Ambedkar Bhavan near Bullayya College on Friday.
He said that while a mere Rs.423 crore was spend on minority welfare in combined Andhra Pradesh in the past, post-bifurcation during the last three years Rs.1,962 crore was spent on their welfare. He said that under the ‘Dulhan’ scheme, Rs.50,000 was being given as financial assistance to poor Muslim girls for their marriage. Measures were being initiated for setting up of an Urdu University in Kurnool.
Visakhapatnam MP K. Haribabu called upon Muslims to avail of the schemes being extended by the Centre and State governments for their welfare. Collector Pravin Kumar, former MLA S.A. Rahaman, Joint Collector-2 D.V. Reddy, Minority Corporation ED PS Prabhakar and District Minority officer Bhavani were present.
