New Delhi, May 19: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that the central government is consistently updating and revising minority welfare schemes. He urged state governments to submit proposals related to minority welfare promptly to enhance the implementation of these schemes.
Speaking to reporters after addressing a conference of state minority commissions organized by the National Minority Commission, Rijiju said, “We will continue to update these schemes. Therefore, we request state governments to send their proposals as soon as possible.”
In response to accusations from some political parties regarding the Haj pilgrimage, the minister clarified, “Muslims going for Haj do so at their own expense. The Government of India does not provide any financial assistance for Haj. Those who go for Haj bear their own costs. It is incorrect for some leaders to spread misinformation on social media.”
Rijiju pointed out, “If we consider the Muslim population as a separate country, it would become the sixth-largest nation in the world. Meanwhile, the Parsi community has a population of about 52,000 to 53,000, which is equivalent to a large village. Both groups are recognized as minorities.”
The one-day conference organized by the National Minority Commission aimed to review the functioning of state minority commissions and evaluate ongoing welfare schemes for minority communities. Several state minority welfare ministers participated in the conference.
Kiren Rijiju shared a photo from the conference on the social media platform ‘X’, expressing, “It is an honor to attend the conference held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan.” He praised the National Minority Commission team, noting that the conference facilitated discussions on developmental issues and assessed the performance of various states.
The minister emphasized the need to make minority commissions more effective to ensure that development schemes reach the grassroots level. He acknowledged that while some states are performing well, there is still room for improvement in others.
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