Awareness on govt schemes for minority women less in TN, says NCM member

Member of the National Commission for Minorities Shahezadi Syed on Thursday expressed concern over the low level of awareness on government schemes for minority women and the latest trend of high divorce rate among Muslim women in Tamil Nadu.Among the minorities, only Christians and Muslims are benefitting from all the government schemes while those from Buddhist community are not being provided minority certificate in the state, the NCM member, said after chairing a series of review meetings here.Compared to other states in the country, many Muslim women in Tamil Nadu are getting divorced.

Member of the National Commission for Minorities Shahezadi Syed on Thursday expressed concern over the low level of awareness on government schemes for minority women and the latest trend of high divorce rate among Muslim women in Tamil Nadu.

Among the minorities, only Christians and Muslims are benefitting from all the government schemes while those from Buddhist community are not being provided minority certificate in the state, the NCM member, said after chairing a series of review meetings here.

''Compared to other states in the country, many Muslim women in Tamil Nadu are getting divorced. I suggested to the state government to start hostels for such women besides employment-oriented skill development training by the Tamil Nadu government so that those women could stand on her own feet,'' Shahezadi said.

Speaking to reporters here, Shahezadi said she noticed that there were no skill development centres for minority women in Tamil Nadu and had asked the government to bestow attention on this issue. ''I observed during a meeting that awareness on government schemes is less in this state. It will be better if the minorities welfare department works more,'' she suggested.

Further, as widows and senior citizens from the minority communities were being provided a measly monthly pension of Rs 500, she took up the issue with state Minorities Welfare Minister Gingee K S Masthan and requested him to enhance the amount. During the meeting, she was told that of the 63,332 properties belonging to the Wakf Board, only about 15,738 were mapped and nearly 13,345 properties were verified. The board is not in a position to ascertain where its properties are located and lacked appropriate documents too. ''Hence, we suggested to the Tamil Nadu government to resurvey the Wakf Board properties and evict encroachments wherever the properties were occupied,'' she said.

Shahezadi said she regretted that the NCM, a statutory body, was not given the protocol due for it by the state government.

Earlier, she chaired a review meeting with principal secretary, Minorities welfare department, Mangat Ram Sharma; Additional DGP Jairam, other officials and interacted with minority women at the state guest house here on various issues including upliftment of women, skill development and education.

Also, the NCM member held discussions with the representatives of the Wakf Board, Haj committee and spiritual leaders, to ascertain women's problems in the state.