Hyderabad: The Congress on Thursday, November 9, announced its ‘minority declaration’ promising major policies and schemes for minorities in Telangana, ahead of state Assembly polls.
The declaration includes detailed schemes for Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians.
TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy announced the declaration for minorities at an event held at the Hyderabad Convention Centre in Nampally.
Promises in the minority declaration
Under ‘financial upliftment and empowerment’
- The grand old party promises to conduct a caste census within 6 months and ensure ‘fair reservation’ for all backward classes, including minorities, in jobs, education, and government welfare schemes
- A promise to increase the minorities welfare budget to Rs. 4,000 crore along with a dedicated ‘minorities sub-plan’ has been made
- The Congress vowed to provide Rs.1,000 crore per annum to facilitate subsidized loans for jobless minority youth and women
Under ‘commitment to Education & Employment equity’
- Under the ‘Abdul Kalam Taufa-e-Taleem’ scheme, the party promises to provide financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh to Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and other minority youth who graduate from M.Phil. and Ph.D. courses. Additionally, Rs.1 lakh will be delivered upon completion of post-graduation, Rs. 25,000 for graduation, Rs.15,000 for Intermediate, and Rs.10,000 for 10th grade, the party said.
- The party also promised to establish a ‘Telangana Sikh Minority Finance Corporation’ and the filling vacancies in minority institutions. It further vowed to conduct a special DSC exam to recruit Urdu medium teachers
Under ‘protection of religious rights and culture’
- A monthly honorarium of Rs.10,000-12,000 is being promised for priests from all religions including Imams, Muezzins, Khadims, Pastors, and Granthis
- The party also promises to amend ‘The Telangana State Minorities Commission Act, 1998’ to make it a permanent body and table its annual report in the state legislative to make ‘suitable changes’ to policies for minorities’ welfare
- Digitization of land and property records of the Waqf Board is being promised in order to “reclaim and re-register the encroached properties of the Waqf Board.”
Under ‘infrastructure and welfare’
- The party promised to protect and allot land for Muslim and Christian graveyards.
- The Congress also vowed to provide a house site and Rs 5 lakh for the construction of a house for all houseless minority families under the Indiramma Indlu Scheme
- The party also promised to provide Rs. 1,60,000 to newlywed couples of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and other minorities.
Under ‘promotion of inclusivity and growth’
- Revitalisation of SETWIN (Society for Employment Promotion & Training in Twin Cities) and transformation of the Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) to develop infrastructure in the Old City is being promised.
With Assembly elections at the end of November, the Congress party is pulling all stops to grab power from incumbent BRS and curb the popularity of its friendly party AIMIM among Muslims and minorities as a whole.
At 13% of Telangana’s population, Muslims hold the edge in deciding the election outcome in the upcoming polls.
