Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, announced the launch of a new scheme Tehreek-e-Taleem in 100 districts of the country to take government’s educational programmes to the minority communities.
He also claimed that the Narendra Modi government’s policy of “empowering minorities without appeasement” had created an “atmosphere of trust” among these communities.
The programme is set to launched on October 15th, the birth anniversary of late president A P J Abdul Kalam.
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He was speaking about the work of his Ministry in the run up to the third anniversary of the Modi government. Without mentioning incidents of cow vigilantism in States like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Naqvi said the data with the National Commission for Minorities points to a noticeable dip in incidents of communal violence.
Outstripped UPA
In regard to the leg-up to educational infrastructure, Mr. Naqvi said the Modi government’s outreach to the minority communities far outstripped the previous Manmohan Singh-led UPA government’s. “More than 70% of the budget for the ministry, which has been hiked by over ₹368.23 crores over the last fiscal has been devoted to education and skill development.”
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“The steps taken by the Modi government for the progress of the minorities are a reflection of its empowerment without appeasement policy. It has created an atmosphere of development and trust among the minorities,” he added. Hitting out at the previous Congress-led UPA government, Mr Naqvi alleged that it did not open “even a single” degree college for the minorities between 2007 and 2014.
Financial aid
The present government has built 33 degree colleges in areas dominated by the communities population-wise, he said. “The National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation has distributed financial aid to 1,08,588 beneficiaries in 2016-17, while 75,966 people were benefited in 2013-14,” he said.