Hyderabad: Congress to come up with Rs 5000 cr minority sub plan

Hyderabad : As part empowerment of Minorities the Congress party’s Minorities Declaration Draft committee is contemplating to come up with a guarantee of a Rs 5000 crore sub-plan.

The Committee, being led by former Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir received different suggestions amongst which a few organisations have urged the party to include in the Declaration a guarantee of a sub-plan. The party received 150 suggestions through online and offline modes including those from 15 prominent Muslim organisations of the State. The Thursday’s final meeting and 6th meeting was an open session and representatives of several prominent Muslims, Christians, Jains, Dalit Muslims and others participated and forwarded their suggestions.

Later briefing media persons Committee Chairman Shabbir Ali informed that the committee received some of the key suggestions including an increase in the minorities welfare budget to Rs 5,000 crore, a Minorities Sub-Plan on the lines of SC, ST Sub-Plans, hike in the budget for marriage scheme, a separate law to stop discrimination on religious grounds.

Shabbir said that the Congress would consider suggestions like granting permission to new medical, engineering and other professional colleges. Similarly, the suggestion for setting up a private minority university may also be included in the Declaration.

PCC Senior Vice President Zafar Javeed informed that the Committee informed that leaders representing prominent organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat-ul-Ulema, Tameer-e-Millat, Tahreek Muslim Shabban also consulted. He said the committee will take a decision after deliberating on different suggestions to be incorporated in the Minorities Declaration.