KCR Woos Minorities: Financial Assistance Scheme Extended To Muslims And Christians In Telangana

K Chandrashekar Rao, the Chief Minister of Telangana and leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), emphasised on Sunday (23 July) that his government is dedicated to the progress and well-being of minorities.

He instructed the Minorities Welfare Department to extend the financial assistance scheme, originally designed for the backward classes (BCs), to underprivileged Christians as well.

In a recent announcement, Finance Minister T Harish Rao stated that the BCs welfare scheme would also be extended to impoverished Muslim families. The government has accepted this proposal in principle.

Initially launched on 7 June for BCs, the scheme aimed to provide a one-time financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to one member of the beneficiary family. A Government Order (GO) issued on Sunday now extends the scheme to both Muslim and Christian communities.

With the upcoming state Assembly elections scheduled for December this year, the BRS is concentrating on strengthening its support among BCs and minorities. Telangana's population is nearly 4 crore, with Muslims accounting for about 50 lakhs and Christians around 4 lakhs.

The Economic Support Scheme with 100 per cent subsidy for minority beneficiaries up to Rs 1 lakh will be implemented through the Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation and Telangana State Christian Minorities Finance Corporation, as per the GO issued by the Minorities Welfare Department secretary, Syed Omar Jaleel.

In relation to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Chief Minister KCR has clearly stated that it is a malicious attempt by the Centre and that the state will safeguard India's diversity.

The GO emphasises the Telangana government's commitment to the welfare and upliftment of minorities. It highlights the formulation of various innovative schemes aimed at the social, economic, educational, and institutional development of minorities.

The request from the Telangana State Minorities Finance Corporation to extend financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to Christians has been accepted.

According to the GO, Christians who wish to avail of the scheme should apply to the Telangana State Christian Minorities Finance Corporation. The age limit for applicants is set between 21 and 55 years as of 2 June 2023. The annual income of applicants should not exceed Rs 1.50 lakh in rural areas and Rs 2 lakh in urban areas.

The selection process will be overseen by the district level monitoring committee/screening cum selection committee, headed by the collector, who will seek approval from the district in-charge Minister.

The government has received numerous applications from BC applicants after the launch of the scheme.

As per the decision of CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, the state government has issued an order to provide financial assistance of one lakh rupees to religious minorities with full subsidy. This initiative is a significant step towards the economic self-reliance of the minorities.

The state government, under the leadership of KCR, is committed to eliminating poverty and backwardness among all communities, irrespective of caste and religion.

Various schemes have been implemented in fields like education and employment to achieve this goal. The government also emphasises the importance of preserving the syncretic culture by equally supporting different cultures and religious traditions.

Harish Rao mentioned that the government has received a substantial number of applications from BC applicants since the scheme's introduction. This indicates the positive response and demand for the scheme among the BC community.

KCR has expressed his strong opposition to the proposal of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), claiming that it is being imposed by the BJP-led central government as a malicious attempt.

According to KCR, the current government has neglected development and instead focused on promoting divisive politics and creating conflicts between communities for political gains through the UCC.

In order to protect India's diverse culture, KCR and the BRS firmly reject the UCC and have vowed to fiercely oppose it in Parliament. They also plan to unite with other like-minded parties in their opposition against the UCC.

KCR believes that the UCC is a threat to India's diversity and aims to safeguard it by standing against the imposition of the UCC. He is determined to fight against it not only in Parliament but also by joining forces with other parties that share the same views.