Author: Saugar Sengupta
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: December 20, 2013
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/wb-spends-more-than-double-for-muslims-now.html

In what could come in handy for the ruling Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2014 general elections West Bengal Government has spent about 160 per cent more than what it used to for the minorities two years before.

 Releasing the figures State Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Thursday said the State which spent about Rs 330 crore for the minorities in 2011-2012 had upped the budget to Rs 859 crore in 2013-2014.

 The budget takes into account increase in scholarship for the Muslim students and extending coaching facilities to them for competitive examinations. This, apart from providing financial aid to self-employed people from the minority community.

 “It makes us proud to announce that our Government has effected a five-fold increase in the scholarships given to the Muslim students,” Mitra said adding how the past Left Government had a budget layout of only Rs 330 crore which had more than tripled in a matter of two years.

 “We are giving scholarship to 34 lakh students now whereas only about 7.4 lakh minority students used to get scholarship” during previous regime he maintained at a Government function adding the State.

 Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said the State was currently giving assistance to about 1.57 lakh self-employed people.

 More than 25 percent of the State’s population is Muslim most of who had backed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2009 general elections and 2011 Assembly polls bringing her to power.

 Meanwhile, acting on the “advise” of a Muslim cleric the police on Thursday stopped the telecasting of a Bengali serial scripted by controversial Bangla writer Tasleema Nasreen Home Department sources said.