YSRCP Govt spent Rs 23,175 crore on minority welfare: YS Jagan

VIJAYAWADA: Reiterating his commitment to the welfare of minorities, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the Government has spent Rs 23,175 crore on minority welfare through DBT and non-DBT schemes out of the Rs 2,40,000 crore incurred on various welfare schemes in the last 53 months.

The Chief Minister participated in the birth anniversary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, which is also observed as National Education day and Minorities’ Welfare Day at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) Stadium here on Saturday.

Addressing a public gathering, YS Jagan said that his father and former Chief Minister Dr YS Rajaskehara Reddy worked for the welfare of Muslims by introducing reservations for them for the first time. “I have taken the cause forward and the Government is working for their social, economic, educational and political empowerment,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that there was not even a single Minister from Muslims during the previous TDP rule. “The YSR Congress Party Government has been implementing different welfare programmes for minorities with empathy and made a Law for giving 50 percent of the nominated posts to SC, ST, BC and minorities. The YSRCP has four Muslim MLAs and four MLCs as law makers, " he said and added that one of the deputy Chief Ministers and deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council are from Minorities.

YS Jagan said that the State Government had released orders to protect the properties of Wakf Board and Churches. Apart from that, the Government implemented a sub-plan for minorities and was also paying a monthly honorarium of Rs 10,000 each to imams and Rs 5,000 each to mouzams and pastors, he said. The Government also introduced Urdu as a second language in schools, besides arranging Haj Yatra from Vijayawada, he added.

The Chief Minister said that along with SC, ST, BC communities, minorities were also reaping the benefits of various welfare schemes and YSR Kalyanamasthu Shaadi Tohfa helped Muslim girls pursue education.YS Jagan was felicitated by the minority leaders after he gave away the Life Time Achievement and other Awards for 2023 for Muslim scholars.

Later, YS Jagan presented the Moulana Azad National award to Dr SA Sattar Saheb (Kadapa district), Baba Frakruddin (Annamayya district) and Dr Patan Karimulla (Chittoor district) received the Dr Abdul Haq award. Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Mohammad Azmat Ali (Kurnool district), Patan Mohammad Khan (Chittoor district), Shaik Abdul Gaffar (Kurnool district), Syed Shafi Ahamad Quadri (Tirupati district) and Mohammad Gouse Arif (Kadapa district).

Deputy Chief Minister (Minority Welfare) SB Amzad Basha and other minority leaders attended the programme.