Mumbai, Maharashtra :

The Maharashtra government has approved release of grant for various schemes of minorities’ development.

The decision to allocate funds for various minorities’ development schemes was taken at a recent meeting by state finance minister Ajit Pawar, Minister of State for Education Fauzia Khan said.

Schemes for empowerment of students, especially girls, had been provided funding on priority, the minister said.

Rs 50 crore have also been provided for Maulana Azad Financial Development Corporation.

Pawar approved Rs 10 crore for improving infrastructure in schools and Rs 10 crore more for a project of modernisation of madrasa institutions, Khan said.

At the meeting, various issues pertaining to the Minority Development Department were also discussed, the minister said.

Khan sought providing adequate funds for the Corporation so that education and other loans can be disbursed to the deserving students of the minority community.

Khan said she also convinced Pawar to provide additional Rs 1.5 crore for police pre-recruitment training scheme and also for increasing the stipend of teachers teaching Marathi from Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 under the Marathi Language Foundation class scheme.

Khan also sought an increase in the allocation of funds for the development of minority concentrated areas scheme under which works like repair work of burial grounds and places of funerals, electricity supply, drainage and sanitation and drinking water supply are undertaken.

The Minorities Development department has launched a new scheme, wherein free bicycles shall be distributed to the girls from the minority community, she said. Pawar has agreed to allocate Rs 3.5 crore for the same, she added.

The demand for construction of a Haj House at Aurangabad would soon be a reality as Pawar has agreed to allocate Rs 3 crore for the same, the minister said.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mumbai / by PTI / May 29th, 2013