Manipur Meitei-Pangal Welfare Organisation (MMWO) on Wednesday alleged the state department of Minority Affairs of failing to initiate proper infrastructure development, economic and education empowerment works for minorities in the State as funded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
A release signed by MMWO secretary general, Khutheibam Wadia Hassan asserted that the department exists just in name only.
It lamented that minorities in the valley areas of the state mostly Meitei Pangals are allegedly deprived of various welfare and developmental programmes initiated by the Centre including Prime Minister’s New 15 point Programme for the welfare of Minorities and Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Kaaryakaram (PMJVK), skill and economic development programmes, USTTAD, Nai Roshni scheme, Hamari Dharohar scheme, housing and health schemes etc.
It noted that the pre and post matric scholarships, padho pardesh-interest subsidy on education for overseas studies, maulana azad national fellowship, naya savera scheme, nai udaan, maulana azad education foundation scholarship has been reportedly discontinued.
It accused that the department’s autonomous body MOBEDS, engineering cell is corrupt with lack of efficiency among the employees. The minorities placed great hope in the state government when it set up a separate directorate of Minority affairs, however all hope seems lost, MMWO said.
It expressed discontentment that the needy minorities are deprived of benefits of central schemes allegedly by the state minority affairs department and urged the state government to look into the matter at the earliest. It further appealed to consider the weary situation of the impoverished minorities and table the issue in the upcoming Assembly Session.
