AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has demanded the inclusion of Muslims in the Dalit Bandhu scheme floated by the TRS government, in which a grant of Rs 10 lakh is being given to empower Dalit families across the state financially and socially. Owaisi said he met Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and urged him to provide financial assistance to at least one per cent Muslim families living below the poverty line in the state.
“The Dalit brothers are a progressive step. Direct cash transfer will help Dalit families to live with dignity and respect, apart from boosting their livelihood. If poverty alleviation is the main criterion of the TRS government, then Muslim families living in extreme poverty should also be included in the welfare scheme.
Owaisi supported his demand by citing a recent report published by the Center for Development Policy and Practice, or CDPP, which suggested that Muslims in Telangana were more backward and marginalized than SCs and OBCs on several socio-economic indicators. were on.
According to the report titled ‘Muslims in Telangana’; Poverty and other challenges, ‘Muslims make up 12.7% of the state’s population, of whom less than 57% have their own homes, while the rest are mostly slum dwellers.
Statistics also show that only 20% of Muslims have a fixed salary, while the rest make a living by working in the informal sector. Majority of this population is largely dependent on non-agricultural activities. Overall, lack of employment opportunities, housing, access to health care and discrimination are some of the factors that lead to other problems like high dropout rates among students.
Citing suggestions made by former IAS officer G Sudhir, Owaisi called for a more inclusive and balanced approach to designing welfare schemes.
“There are around 9 lakh Muslim families in Telangana, with an average family size of 5.5. At least 8.5% of the households are living in abject poverty, sustaining themselves on a daily income of less than Rs 100. So if the state government adds 2% of the families to the Dalit Bandhu scheme, then about 18,000 families will be benefited.’ said.
Reforms Suggested by Policy Experts
The Dalit brothers have promised to cover 11,900 families. If the TRS government accepts Owaisi’s demand, then the cost of including BPL Muslim families comes to Rs 1,800 crore. Public policy experts agree that the additional spending will not burn a hole in the government’s pocket if the funds are earmarked correctly.
“If one looks closely, the state government will spend just 0.5% extra. Every year around Rs 1,600 crore is allocated as minority welfare fund, half of which is not utilized. If we add everything up, the total amount will be more than enough to free about 18,000 Muslim families from poverty,” said Professor Abdul Shaban of the University of Paris.
Amir Ullah Khan, economist and research director of CDPP, said that apart from education, there is a need to empower the marginalized community by giving them property in the form of capital, land or a house to live in.
“More Muslim families are coming from the poorest of the poor. In the last two years, the situation has worsened due to Kovid. Telangana can turn into a golden state (Bangaru Telangana) only when its most oppressed population is uplifted. They need an asset to fall back on. This is the most efficient anti-poverty intervention,” he said.
Owaisi’s demand comes in the backdrop of growing demand from the BJP to implement a similar scheme for the backward class community. Terming Owaisi and KCR as two sides of the same coin, senior BJP leader NV Subhash slammed the TRS government for pitting one community against another for electoral gains.
“The upper Hindu castes and the BC community have been left out by the KCR government. Muslims are already reaping the benefits through reservation. We will not oppose his joining the Dalit Bandhu scheme, provided other Hindu groups are accommodated as well. We will not tolerate KCR’s alienation from Hindus.”
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