After reiterating his commitment to provide 12 per cent reservation for poor Muslims, for which a bill would be introduced in the forthcoming budget session of the Assembly, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is moving ahead with many more schemes to win over the predominant minority community in the state.
Now, he has expressed his desire to set up an Islamic Centre-cum-Convention Hall of international standards at a cost of Rs 40 crore on six acres of Wakf land at Manikonda in the city. The state government has further decided to set up of IT SEZ exclusively for Muslims, first of its kind in the country.
At a high-level review meeting on minority welfare, he has instructed the officials concerned to prepare proper designs for the proposed centre. He suggested that the proposed centre could be used by members of the Muslim community to conduct all their activities, programmes etc.
Moreover, he has also expressed his resolve to establish an orphanage for Muslims at a cost of Rs 21 crore at Anees-ul-Gubba in Nampally and signed on a file in this regard. The government has already allotted prime land of 4,000 yards for the orphanage.
On this occasion the Chief Minister has asked the Centre to take steps to conduct National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Urdu medium. There are thousands of students who are studying in Urdu medium in the country and for their benefit NEET should be conducted in Urdu medium. He said that Urdu language is given a second language status in the Telangana State and as a result many students are studying in Urdu medium in the State.
It was also decided to conduct a special DSC to recruit Urudu teachers for Urdu schools and colleges. The government has released Rs 8.48 crore for the comprehensive development of the Mecca Masjid. It was also decided to hike monthly remuneration to Imams and Mauzams from Rs 1000 to Rs 1500.
