UP spends less than 10% in minority areas | Economic Times

NEW DELHI: MPs from UP have raised their concerns after the Union ministry of minority affairs informed Parliament on Thursday that the government had utilised less than 10% of the Rs 16,207 lakh given to the state to improve the living conditions and infrastructure in minority-concentrated areas. As per data released by the ministry on Friday, the UP government, in 2019-2020, utilised only Rs 1,602 lakh of the Rs 16,207 lakh released by the Centre to improve infrastructure such as schools and primary hospitals in 249 units in 89 towns in 15 districts that have more than 25% Muslim population under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK).MPs of Amroha, Moradabad and other districts told ET that under-utilisation of funds “reflected the biased attitude of state government against the Muslim community”. During 2020-21, Rs 4,552.91 lakh was released to UP. In 2015-16, the UP government that was under the Samajwadi Party then, had spent 62% of the Rs 32,462 lakh given to the state under this scheme.In 2016-17, the state spent 39% of the Rs 14,364 lakh, while in 2017-18 it used 40% of the Rs 15,182 lakh released. The utilisation was 31% in 2018-19 of the Rs 37,653 released. MP of Amroha, Danish AIi, said he had noticed the low availability of funds during DISHA committee meetings where, as an MP, he has to look at the progress of all projects in his constituency. “There is absolutely no funds even to build basic primacy care hospitals in the Muslim areas...,” he said.