VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday announced that the State government will immediately release Rs 45 crore in pending honorarium dues for Imams and Mouzans. He also assured that a new Haj House will be constructed in Amaravati to facilitate pilgrims from the State.
Naidu made the announcement while attending the state-level Iftar gathering organised by the government at A Plus Convention Centre in Vijayawada.
Extending Ramadan greetings to the Muslim community, he participated in prayers and said the TDP led NDA coalition government respects the sentiments of minorities and is committed to their welfare.
Naidu said Rs 3,511 crore is being spent annually to provide NTR Bharosa pensions to 4.38 lakh beneficiaries from the Muslim community. Under the “Thalliki Vandanam” scheme, assistance is being extended to about 4.5 lakh Muslim students. The government has also released Rs 264 crore in post-matric scholarships to 19,215 students.
He added that under the Deepam 2.0 scheme, Rs 158 crore is being spent to provide LPG cylinders to 6.20 lakh Muslim families.
The government has already distributed Rs 180 crore as honorariums for Imams and Muezzins, and the pending Rs 45 crore will be released immediately, he added.
The Chief Minister also stated that the incomplete Haj House in Kadapa will soon be made operational.
Arrangements are being made for 347 pilgrims to depart for the Haj pilgrimage from the Vijayawada embarkation point this year.