NEW DELHI, Dec 27:
Only one transgender student was awarded fellowship by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under its ‘Maulana Azad National Fellowship’ scheme since 2009-10, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
The Ministry is implementing MANF for minority students for pursuing higher studies such as full time M.Phil/Ph.D degrees in sciences, humanities, social sciences and engineering and technology.
Over 750 students belonging to the minority communities get the fellowships every year, Minority Affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in written reply.
“During the selection year 2017-18, one online application was received from candidate belonging to transgender community and was awarded fellowship,” he said.
The student was the first in the transgender category to secure fellowship under the scheme since 2009-10.
In 2017-18, Muslim students were awarded 517 fellowships, followed by Christian (109), Sikh (72), Buddhist (33) and Jain (25).
Replying to another question, Naqvi said 18 states have constituted their own state minority commissions so far. However, no such panel was set up by any state or Union Territory in the last two years.
Responding to another query, the minister said the National Wakf Development Corporation (NAWADCO) has identified properties across India, inlcuding Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Pune and Aurangabad (Maharashtra) for consideration of development.
He said Rajasthan has also shown interest in getting properties in Jaipur and Kota developed through NAWADCO.
Letters of Expression of Interest have been received from State Waqf Boards of Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Chandigarh for commercial development of 24 waqf properties, Naqvi said. (PTI)
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