By IANS,
Lucknow : Wooing members of the Muslim community ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Monday announced a slew of schemes aiming to promote education among the youth of the minority.
“An Arabic-Persian university will be set up in Lucknow. Several primary schools, junior high-schools and government secondary schools will be established in Muslim-dominated areas,” Mayawati announced at her Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) national convention here.
The meet was organised to discuss problems faced by the Muslim community.
For the upcoming university, the government has earmarked Rs.100 million (Rs.10 crore) while for the schools Rs.1.35 billion (Rs.135 crore) has been sanctioned, she said.
For raising the educational standards of Muslims, Mayawati also announced that her government will give financial grants to 100 more madrassas in the state.
She announced the Kanshiram self-employment scheme to create job opportunities for youths of minority communities.
A coaching institute to help youths of minority communities in preparing for the civil services and other competitive examinations will also be set up, she said.
“The government will spend nearly Rs.4 crore (Rs.40 million) on the forthcoming coaching institute,” said Mayawati.
For promoting the Urdu language, the chief minister announced a hike in the financial grant to the Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy. “The grant will be doubled from Rs.1.5 crore (Rs.15 million) to Rs.3 crore,” said Mayawati.
She said a separate Unani Board will be set up at a cost of Rs.30 million (Rs.3 crore) to revive the traditional medical science.
The state government will also recruit more Urdu teachers in Muslim-dominated areas, said Mayawati.