Cong MLC Welcomes Hike In Budget For Minorities

Congress MLC Mohammad Ali Shabbir on Monday welcomed the allocation of Rs. 1,027 crores for Minority Welfare in the state budget for 2013-14.

In a media statement, Shabbir said that the allocation has more than doubled from the Rs. 499 crore provided last year. He said that the increase in allocation proves the Congress government's commitment towards the welfare of minorities in the state. He praised Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for allocating a sufficient amount for the minorities' development.

Shabbir reminded that it was the Congress government which had constituted the Minorities Welfare Department in Andhra Pradesh in 1993 for the first time in the country, and said "The same model was emulated by other states, and the departments are active in over 14 states across the country. Further, an amount of Rs. 1.20 crores was allocated towards Minorities Welfare for the first time in 1994-95 by the then Finance Minister K Rosaiah. The budget for Minorities Welfare has increased by almost 1,000 times in the last 20 years."

The Congress MLC (Elect) said that efforts would be made to ensure that the allocated amounts get spent for the welfare of minorities in the State. (INN)