MUMBAI: City Congress Minority Cell’s vice-chairman Haji Mudassar Patel has welcomed Maharashtra government’s decision to increase the funds for minority development schemes in the state.
On Wednesday, the minority development department minister Abdul Sattar announced that the government had increased the funds of Maulana Azad Minorities Finance Development Corporation (MAMFDC), an important funding agency for the minorities’ development, from Rs 30 crore to Rs 500 crore.
“I had met Sattar Sahib some time ago and requested him to get the funds for MAMFDC increased so as to increase the scholarship amount substantially. Now the government can increase the scholarship amount, for example for MBBS courses from Rs 2 lakh to 20 lakh. Education and business loans too can be increased,” said Patel. “I welcome this move and congratulate the minority development minister for this positive step which is going to help poor and needy students from minority communities.”
Patel added that the minority development minister should also focus on improving the condition of the madrassas and infuse funds to their modernisation plan. According to the Sachar Committee report, only 4% Muslims students go to madrassas, but this number is very critical because it is these students who go on to become preachers, imams and maulvis. They lead the prayers and deliver Friday sermons. “If infrastructure of the madrassas is improved and subjects like science, maths and English too are taught, the students can have more options later in life,” said Patel.
The minority department is in the process of taking a few more steps to ensure that schemes aimed at helping the minorities reach the beneficiaries.
On Thursday, among those who also met the minority development minister to congratulate him included former minority minister Anees Ahmed and MLA from Beed Suresh Dush.
