Hyderabad, June 29: The government of Telangana has agreed to release funds to various institutions of minority welfare for the first quarter of financial year 2024-25.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who holds the minorities welfare portfolio, directed the Finance Department to release funds to the minority institutions for implementation of various schemes.
Telangana Haj Committee, Urdu Academy and Minorities Finance Corporation were facing the funds crunch and as a result they were unable to implement different schemes of the government.
Funds were not released to minority institutions due to model code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections. Chairpersons of various minority institutions brought to the notice of the Chief Minister’s Office that funds were not released even after the lifting of model code of conduct.
The Congress government was believed to have stopped funds as its priority is implementation of six guarantees made during Assembly elections. However, the heads of minority bodies brought to the Chief Minister’s knowledge the hardships faced by them.
The Haj Committee was the worst affected due to delay in release of funds. Its outsourcing employees have not been paid salaries for the last three months. It also has debts of Rs.1.7 crore. The Haj Committee had taken a loan of Rs.1 crore from Urdu Academy in the past to meet its expenses and has still not repaid the amount. It also owes Rs.60 lakh to Haj Committee of India for sending Khadimul Hajjaj last year. The Haj Committee had also borrowed Rs.10 lakh from Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society.
The Haj Committee was allocated Rs.2 crore in the budget for the current financial year. The government decided to give another Rs.2 crore for making arrangements for departure of Haj pilgrims. However, the Haj Committee has requested the government to release Rs.5 crore.
Urdu Academy is also facing problems in implementing various schemes due to lack of funds. The Finance Department last year returned Rs.26 crore unspent funds of Urdu Academy to the treasury.
In the budget for the current financial year, the Urdu Academy was allocated Rs.6.82 crore but its funds for the first quarter have not yet been released. The government has now agreed to release Rs.1.70 crore.
