HYDERABAD: Announcing a number of sops to Muslims, including introduction of free mid-day meal scheme in madrasas, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Saturday said that the Government would promulgate an ordinance effecting Muslim reservations.

Dr. Reddy also declared the birthday of Moulana Abul Kalam Azad (November 11) as `Minority Welfare Day' in the State, which would be dedicated exclusively to address the problems of minorities.

Describing Muslim reservations as the subject close to his heart at a function organised by the Urdu Academy of Andhra Pradesh for distribution of computers to madrasas here, Dr. Reddy said, "Within a month Insha Allah, we should be in a position to overcome all the hurdles in giving reservations to Muslim minorities."

Though the madrasas were intended for imparting religious and philosophical education, they were now turning to modern education to ensure better life for their students. Madrasas had been officially recognised as service organisations, he said, adding that the Government was ready to give grants for introducing modern education such as computers, English, mathematics and sciences, if they desired.

Benefits

He sought to know why should not any Muslim get the benefits on a par with SCs and BCs. Therefore, he said, the Government enhanced the scholarship budget from Rs. 4 crore in 2004-05 to Rs. 80 crore. Dr. Reddy distributed computers to 26 madrasas and presented a cheque for Rs. 10,000 to Rubina Begum, fifth ranker in Intermediate Public Examination.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail