Christians not benefitting from govt schemes

Anantapur: While the Muslim Community is able to avail the allocated funds of Rs 1,102 crore for their welfare, the Christian community has failed to utilise the Rs 75 crore funds set apart for them. They could spend only 75 per cent of the funds allotted to them in the 2017-18, that too for the first time in the district.

In the past, less than 50 per cent of the funds were spent and a lion's share of the allotted funds used to lapse and return to the state treasury. The community is not aware of the schemes meant for their welfare neither has the government evolved a mechanism to communicate with the community.

Even, the government not taken any interest in appointing a separate chairman for the Christian Minorities Finance Corporation, which was established when the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was the Chief Minister. In the scheme of minority politics, the Christian community was least viewed as a vote bank, whereas Muslim community is considered as a considerable vote bank.

The Minorities Welfare department is implementing a host of schemes both for the Muslims and Christian welfare including training, employment and placement, subsidised bank linked income generating and self-employment schemes, financial assistance for construction and repairs of churches, financial assistance to church-run institutions and development of burial grounds, free coaching for competitive examinations, youth awareness programmes, training for Christian law graduates in administration of justice, Pilgrimage to holy land Jerusalem, overseas scholarships, Dulhan schemes for Christian and Muslim bride and bride grooms, pre-matric and post-matric scholarships etc.

Under the economic support schemes, district executive director A S Baba Khajuddin told The Hans India that under the action plan for the year 2017-18 individual loans were targeted for 60 Christian youth but only 48 had come forward for the bank loans worth Rs 43.70 lakh while 100 were targeted for training and employment, none had come forward for training.

Under the scheme, training and finance for law graduates as many as two Christian law graduates had availed Rs 0.22 lakh. The total amount availed in total under the three schemes was Rs 43.92 lakh.

The Minorities Finance Corporation is extending Rs 2 lakhs under self-employment, small scale industries and agriculture allied activities for a single unit with 50 per cent subsidy amount and 10 per cent beneficiary contribution. Loans are being given to individuals for purchasing autorickshaws, cars and tractors etc.

Minority Welfare Officer D M K Basha during an interaction with 'The Hans India' revealed that in the 2017-18, Rs 157.52 lakh for 11 Shadhikanas and scholarships worth Rs 1289.88 lakh, Rs 406.8 lakh under MTS scheme and Rs 10 lakh each was given to 7 students for overseas education.

Also, Rs 1 lakh each was given for construction of 9 churches. Basha has appealed to the Christian community in particular to come out of their shell and grab the given opportunities aimed at their overall welfare.

By Ravi P Benjamin