Govt to establish new portfolio for minority: Patil

AURANGABAD: Maharashtra government will soon establish a new portfolio for Minority community in the state and measures will be taken to bring the Muslims in the main stream by overcoming their backwardness, Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said on Saturday.

"Rs 100 crores will be given as funds to this ministry," Patil, who also holds the Home Ministry said.

He was speaking at a ceremony organised by the Kari Siddique Bandhavi Industrial Training Institute in Majalgaon tehsil of Beed district here.

Patil said his party always supported the recommendations made by the Rajendra Sachchar Committee.

He urged the Muslim clerics to work hard for increasing the education per centage of the community with due stress on women education.

Patil said the percentage of Muslims in the police force and the technology field is very low and it should be raised.

He said the community should not be looked upon as terrorist and regretted that few politicians are having their vested interest behind such strategies.

Minister for Water Resources, Ajit Pawar, Minister of Health and the Guardian Minister Vimal Mundada, Rehabilitation Minister Rajesh Tope, Ex-Minister Jaydatt Kshirsagar, MLA Abdullah Khan Durrani, ex-MLA Syed Salim, Gulam Mohammed Vastanvi were present.