Severe staff shortage hits minority welfare

The department which has been allocated huge budget is failing to spend the funds owing shortage of manpower

HYDERABAD.18/05/2013: Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Minorities Commission and senior congress leader Abid Rasool Khan at the FICCI Andhra Pradesh State Council first state level annual General body meeting in Hyderabad on May 18, 2013. Photo: Mohammed Yousuf

The government seem to have adopted a carrot and stick approach with regard to minority welfare. Last year it allocated a huge budget of Rs. 1,027 crore for minority welfare but the entire amount could not be spent. A sum of Rs. 500 crore lapsed. The previous year too Rs. 148 crore out of Rs. 498 crore remained unspent.

The reason is not lack of demand or schemes but woeful shortage of manpower to execute the plans. None of the districts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have full fledged minority welfare officers and executive directors. In most places there is not even office space, computers, fax machine and internet facility. The officials, mostly on deputation, function from cramped premises of Collectorates.

The sanctioned strength of district minority welfare office is seven but everywhere there are three to four vacancies. Even those working are drawn from other departments. This is the startling finding of the A.P State Minorities Commission (APSMC).

Reports submitted by district Collectors in response to a communication sent by the Commission has brought out the pathetic condition of minority welfare offices in both the States.

The Vizianagaram district takes the cake. There is just no office or staff here. The situation in other districts is slightly better but there are other problems galore. Functioning in most of the districts is hampered for want of office vehicles and computers, it is said.

“Without the cadre it is simply impossible to spend the budget. Bank loan schemes, pension disbursement, civil services coaching and skill development programmes are badly affected for want of manpower”, says Abid Rasool Khan, chairman, APSMC.

The Telangana government is expected to allocate Rs. 1,000 crore budget for minority welfare this year. With the available staff and infrastructure not even 50 per cent of it could be spent, Mr. Khan fears. He wants the government to first fill the sanctioned posts on a priority basis by posting full time officers so that the budget could be spent and targets met.

Mr. Khan said he would soon submit a report on the state of affairs in the minority welfare to the Chief Ministers of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.