Budget allocation for Minority Affairs raised to 2600 crore

Monday February 28, 2011 05:31:47 PM, ummid.com & Agencies

New Delhi: Laying stress on the development of the minorities in India, the government Monday proposed to increase the budget for Ministry of Minority affairs from Rs. 1,740 crore to Rs. 2,600 crore.

"I propose to raise the plan allocation for the Ministry of Minority Affairs from Rs.1,740 crore to Rs.2,600 crore for the year 2010-11. This marks an increase of nearly 50 per cent", Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherji said in his budget speech February 28.

Aimed at empowering the minorities in India, Ministry of Minority Affairs was introduced by the Congress-led UPA government during his first term.

"I am happy to inform the Honourable Members that we are close to achieving the target of 15 per cent priority sector lending to minorities in the current year", he said.

"This will be maintained for the next three years", he added.

Observing that education is the key to reaping the benefits of the demographic dividend in the form of a young population, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee also announced more funds for Maulana Azad Education Foundation and special grants to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for its off campus centers in West Bengal and Kerala.

The finance minister announced grants of Rs.50 crore each for Aligarh Muslim University's upcoming campuses at Murshidabad in West Bengal and Malappuram in Kerala along with Rs.100 crore as a one-time grant to Kerala Veterinary Animal Science University.

The minister also sanctioned Rs.200 crore for the Maulana Azad Education Foundation established for the development of minorities.

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