Hyderabad: The minorities welfare department is all set to distribute Ramzan gifts May 15 onwards. The director of the minorities welfare department Mr Shahnawaz Qasim said that about 4.5 lakh gifts packets will be distributed among the impoverished Muslims in the state.
Mr Qasim inspected the ongoing preparations at the Macca Masjid on Wednesday.
He reported that the department had received Rs 16 crore out of the Rs 33 crore budget set aside for the Ramzan gift packets, other than the other Rs 1.75 crore allocated for the Iftar parties and arrangements in mosques during the holy month.
The director stated that instead of procuring dress material from Surat, Gujarat, the government has decided to purchase all the dress material for Bathkama, Ramzan, and Christmas from the Telangana State Weavers Society Ltd, which should be able to supply all the material on or before May 15.
He further said that the distribution of gift packets will commence on May 16, prior to which they will obtain permission from the Election Commission for the same.
He said, “We were about to replace the qaleen (carpet) with new ones, but the Archaeological Survey of India officials have advised us to wait for the ongoing renovation work to complete before we replace them. We shall procure exclusively designed carpets worth over Rs 50 lakh within six months. They haven’t been changed since 2008.”
Mr Qasim instructed the district minorities welfare officer, Hyderabad, Mr Mohammed Qasim, and superintendent of the Macca Masjid, Mr Mohammed Abdul Quadeer Siddiqui, to complete the repair works before the onset of Ramzan.
He further asked them to ensure that all employees of the Masjid are present at the time of Iftar and Taravih. He instructed them to get the walled cistern cleaned up five times a day, one hour before every prayer. The superintendent confirmed the receipt of Rs 37 lakh towards the Macca Masjid and the Royal Mosque works.
