By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Kozhikode: The long wait for almost 900 minority promoters – those working for promoting activities meant for welfare of the minorities – will soon be over as the state government has decided to grant their pending honorarium. The state government said it has sanctioned Rs four crore towards the distribution of pending honorarium.
Minority Welfare Department director Dr P Naseer said the honorarium would be distributed within few days. In fact, As many as 54 promoters were given their honorarium at the state-level inauguration of the distribution held at Alappuzha District Collectorate last week.
Naseer said “The State Minority Welfare Department has sent adequate amount to the District Collectors.”
In March, 2013, as many as 903 promoters were appointed across the state for one year to promote the activities meant for the welfare of the minorities. Utilisation of Central madrassa grants, Muallim (madrassa teacher) welfare scheme, widow pension and Vayomithram schemes for minorities, career guidance programmes, help desks at educational institutions and extension of the minority welfare schemes were managed by promoters. Besides, the promoters ensured that the benefits of the welfare schemes are extended to the right persons.
Naseer said the efforts of the promoters were hailed by the member of National Minorities Commission Fareed Abdullah Khan during his visit to the state. But, the state government failed to pay the promoters even after their tenure ended in April, 2014. The state had witnessed a slew of protests and the welfare schemes came to a standstill following the inordinate delay in disbursing the monthly honorarium.
Though an amount was allocated by the state government to disburse the honorarium, the department couldn’t utilise it as the code of conduct came in to effect following the declaration of Lok Sabha polls, officials said.
Meanwhile, welcoming the decision, the Kerala Minority Welfare Promoters’ Union general secretary P K Abdul Salam said the government should renew the appointment of the promoters as they were discharging their duties very well. “The hard work of the promoters helped in effectively implementing the madrassas’ modernisation scheme. Studying tools were delivered to madrassas and underprivileged students,” he said and demanded the government to start Minority Welfare Department offices in every district headquarters.
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Welfare schemes derail as Minority Promoters abstain from duties due to non-payment of honourarium