Telangana: Cong tries to win back minority vote from BRS, AIMIM; promises to increase minority welfare budget to Rs 4k crore annually

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee had constituted a Minorities Declaration Committee with Mohammed Ali Shabbir as the chairman.

Reddy said the party would also initiate a caste survey in Telangana if it is voted to power. (File Photo)

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The Congress has promised to increase the state annual minority welfare budget to Rs 4,000 crore if elected to power in Telangana. In a late-night declaration Thursday, Telangana Congress Chief A Revanth Reddy also said that a separate allocation of Rs 1,000 crore would be made annually to provide subsidised loans to students and women from the minority community.

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee had constituted a Minorities Declaration Committee with Mohammed Ali Shabbir as the chairman. Shabbir said the party wants to win back the minority vote from the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the AIMIM.

Reddy said the party would also initiate a caste survey in Telangana if it is voted to power.

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The Congress further said it aims to ensure ‘fair reservation’ for all backward classes including minorities in jobs, education, and government schemes.

Under the Abdul Kalam Taufa-e-Taleem Scheme, the party said it would provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and other minority youths upon completing MPhil and PhD programs.

The party declaration also promised a monthly honorarium of Rs 10,000-Rs 12,000 for priests of all religions including imams, muezzins, khadims, pastors, and granthis. Moreover, it promised to establish the ‘Telangana Sikh Minority Finance Corporation’ and conduct special recruitment to fill up vacancies for Urdu-medium teaching posts.

Newlywed couples belonging to minority communities would be given Rs 1.6 lakh, the declaration added.

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Muslims and Christians account for over 12 per cent and 1 per cent of the state population, respectively.

The polls for the 119-seat Telangana Assembly will be held on November 30, and the votes will be counted on December 3.

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