KARIMNAGAR: The new eligibility criteria for the ‘Indiramma Mahila Shakti’ scheme, launched by the Minority Finance Corporation, are excluding poor Muslim women from its benefits, alleged Md. Shabbir, state president of Telangana State Sanchara Muslim Tegala Sangam (TSSMTS), during a media interaction on Wednesday.
Shabbir said that the mandatory requirements of a minimum Class V grade education and a tailoring training certificate have made the scheme inaccessible to most Muslim women in rural and nomadic communities. These women, often lacking formal education and certifications, typically acquire sewing skills informally within their localities.
He pointed out that inadequate access to education and training centres continues to hinder the socio-economic development of these communities. "There are no training centres in villages, mandals, or thandas. If training had been provided, these regulations might have been reasonable," Shabbir said.
Referring to the findings of the Sanchara Committee under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Shabbir emphasised that Muslims already lag significantly in education and development. The new rules, he argued, disproportionately impact widows, divorced, and single women who cannot meet the criteria, further marginalising them.
Shabbir urged the government to remove these two requirements, considering the living conditions of the Sanchara Muslim communities, to ensure broader access to the scheme's benefits.
