PM Modi's ministry of Minority Affairs utilised 98% of funds

Ministry of Minority Affairs, under Najma Heptullah, is amongst the top performers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government.

The ministry has been able to spend 98% of the entire Plan Budget in 2015-16 on various schemes and programmes meant for the people of minority community.

Heptulla said that "the Expenditure of our ministry in the financial year 2015-16 was not only 20% higher than the preceding fiscal, but for the first time in the history of the ministry there was no cut imposed in the revised estimate of the planned budget."

The ministry received Rs 3827.25 crore in the 2016-17 general budget, a rise of Rs 89.25 crore over the previous fiscal.

Even as critics mounted attacks on the PM Modi government over religious rights, Heptulla's team introduced a slew of welfare programmes like computerization of records of state Wakf Boards, the scheme of leadership development of minority women, programmes for skill development, coaching for civil services aspirants and providing educational loans to students of minority communities.

One of the most notable schemes has been 'Hamari Dharohar' - which is aimed at preserving the rich heritage of the minorities.

The minister alleged that the previous governments could not fully utilise their allocated fund left, due to lack of proper implementation and monitoring of the various programmes and schemes.