State makes significant strides in minority welfare, legal reforms, says A.P. Minister Farooq
Andhra Pradesh has made significant progress in minority welfare, legal reforms, and transparent governance over the past two years, with the government prioritising inclusive development
Andhra Pradesh has made significant progress in minority welfare, legal reforms, and transparent governance over the past two years, with the government prioritising inclusive development under the Swarna Andhra Pradesh-2047 vision, Minister for Law, Justice and Minority Welfare N.Md. Farooq has said. Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on Thursday, Mr. Farooq said the government had implemented programmes focusing on minority education, employment, economic empowerment, Waqf property protection, Haj services, digital governance, court infrastructure and welfare of advocates.
He said the Minority Welfare Department had received a budget allocation of ₹16,147.23 crore between 2024-25 and 2026-27, of which ₹9,759.70 crore had already been spent. Welfare schemes benefited lakhs of minority families, including 3.38 lakh pensioners under the NTR Bharosa scheme, over 92,000 families through Talliki Vandanam, nearly 68,000 students under post-matric scholarship, and 12.66 lakh families through Deepam-2. The Minister said the government had launched educational initiatives such as the Talim-e-Hunar scheme, free coaching for TET, DSC, NEET and EAMCET aspirants, besides skill development programmes through CEDM.
He added that 1,500 Waqf institutions had been surveyed, 88 acres of encroached Waqf land reclaimed and 5,028 institutions digitised through the Central Portal. Highlighting legal reforms, Mr. Farooq said ₹216 crore had been sanctioned for court infrastructure, financial assistance extended to families of 1,173 deceased advocates, and the Nyaya Mitra stipend doubled. The government also reviewed 19 laws, removed discriminatory provisions from 16 Acts, processed over 10,750 files and drafted 70 laws and 18 ordinances.
For 2026-27, the Minister announced proposals worth ₹1,000 crore under PMJVK, establishment of 96 new courts, recruitment of 1,770 personnel, expanded skill development programmes and efforts to set up a permanent High Court Bench in Kurnool. Law Secretary G. Pratibha Devi and Minority Welfare Secretary B. Sreedhar were present.
The BriefWire