P. Rosa, member of the State Minority Commission, has said that a large majority of people from minority communities in the State were unaware of the benefits available to them.
Speaking on ‘Welfare Schemes for the minorities’ at a district-level seminar organised by the Commission in Kozhikode on Saturday, she said there were 12 different scholarships for students in various courses as well as those planning to study abroad, under certain conditions.
“There are not enough students at PSC exam coaching centres for minorities owing to lack of awareness about them,” she said, adding that there were schemes to reimburse course fee and hostel fee for students preparing for civil services examination.
The welfare schemes include house repair fund for widows, Pradhanmantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, and pre-marriage counselling, she added.
Earlier, inaugurating the seminar, Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said Kerala was far ahead of other States in the implementation of schemes for the welfare of minorities. “We are the first to constitute a department for minorities’ welfare,” he said. Minorities Commission Chairman A.A. Rashid presided over the event.
