Hyderabad: Minorities demand TSMFC chief's post to be filled immediately

Hyderabad: An important institution of minority welfare in the State, the Minority Finance Corporation (TSMFC) which helps the minorities to grow socio-economically, has been headless since last year. The chairman, Syed Akber Hussain, completed the three-year term in March 2020.

Hussain was appointed the first chairman of TSMFC after the State formation in 2017. Since he completed the term, no new chairman has been appointed to oversee the minority welfare schemes.

The corporation helps all minority communities to grow financially with various economic support schemes. It provides assistance to eligible persons with bank-linked subsidy.

The Minorities in the State are facing hardships after two lockdowns. They are looking to the corporation to make a fresh start by setting up business, but even after a year, there is no hope of getting loans from the State body.

The pandemic has affected thousands. Many were rendered unemployed; while the self-employed were forced to wind up businesses. They are waiting for fresh applications for subsidised loans from MFC. Apart from people who were in business, many freshers, who lost jobs due to lockdown, are interested in self-employment. They want to start their own small business.

Mohd Kaleemuddin of Erragadda said:"I am a driver by profession. I used to run a cab on rent for college students, but lost my job when the first lockdown was imposed. I am selling things to meet daily needs. I am planning to apply for my own cab from MFC, but it's not working right now due to lockdown".

People with small businesses are also looking to MFC. Said Zubair Hussain of Bahadurpura: "I had my own seasonal fruit business with my own cart. But I faced loss during the first lockdown. Later I re-started the business after lockdown by taking hand loans from friends and relatives. But the second lockdown forced me to quit. I have faced huge losses and have debt. I can make a new start if I get loan on subsidy from TSMFC".

The Minority wings of various State parties, like the Congress and the BJP, are hitting out at the government for not appointing a new chairman of MFC. Afsar Pasha, president, State BJP Minority Morcha, criticised the government for keeping the post vacant for the last one year. He accused Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of not having concern for the minorities, as he has "abandoned them".

"Not only the MFC, but the Minority Commission and the State Haj Committee chairmen post are also vacant since a year. But the CM appears to be busy with elections.

Dubbaka, Nagarjunasagar, GHMC and graduate MLC elections were held after the first lockdown. It is strange that the government has time for elections, but not for the minority issues, while the BC, SC and ST corporations continued their schemes after the lockdown. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi is also silent on the issue". Pasha demanded KCR to appoint a chairman for MFC immediately for the uplift of minorities in the State.