Maharashtra has been the second-largest recipient of grants provided by the Centre for educational upliftment of minorities, revealed a Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) report.
Between 2008-09 and 2013-14, Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) – an organisation established under the minority affairs ministry to promote education among the backward communities – distributed Rs 9.38 crore to 68 NGOs in the state. The state also ranked fourth, in terms of availing scholarship for girls from minority communities.
According to the report, Uttar Pradesh (UP) received the biggest share, with 255 NGOs in the state being allotted Rs 30.79 crore — 35.8% of the total allocation of Rs 85.94 crore. The data also shows that about three-fourths of the Rs 85.94 crore has gone to six states — UP, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, AP and Haryana.
A few districts have received disproportionately high share of grants. During 2008-09 to 2013-14, Malappuram in Kerala, Moradabad in UP and Gurgaon in Haryana has each received around 25 grants aggregating between Rs 3.65 crore and Rs 4.04 crore.
The report also revealed that 12,095 girls from minority communities in Maharashtra have availed the Maulana Azad Scholarship between 2003-04 and 2013-14. UP, Kerala and West Bengal lead the list, having received 21%, 14% and 9% of the total scholarships.
Last year, the minority affairs ministry had asked TISS to suggest ways to make MAEF’s funds disbursal mechanism more efficient. The institute has submitted its recommendations in the report, ‘Revisioning Maulana Azad Foundation’. “The report, through several statistics, has highlighted the need to support minorities in higher education. We have suggested several ways to MAEF can function more efficiently with its current resources,” said Bino Paul, a professor from TISS who co-authored the report.
{{/usCountry}}Last year, the minority affairs ministry had asked TISS to suggest ways to make MAEF’s funds disbursal mechanism more efficient. The institute has submitted its recommendations in the report, ‘Revisioning Maulana Azad Foundation’. “The report, through several statistics, has highlighted the need to support minorities in higher education. We have suggested several ways to MAEF can function more efficiently with its current resources,” said Bino Paul, a professor from TISS who co-authored the report.
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