Chennai: Refuting the Opposition’s charge that the government has neglected the minorities, backward classes and minorities welfare minister S. Valarmathi informed the Assembly that about Rs 10.56 crore has been allotted in the Budget for minorities’ welfare during this fiscal.

Contending that the allocation for the minorities welfare has been on the upward trend under late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s rule, she said apart from allocating Rs 1 crore for renovating churches, the government has allotted Rs 3 crore for renovating Dargahs and mosques across the state.

Valarmathi was responding to Kadayanallur legislator Muhammed Abubacker who while participating in the debate in the Assembly House on Wednesday alleged that the government ignored the minorities and sought to know what the government had done for the minorities’ welfare.

Supplementing his colleague, finance minister D. Jayakumar said the allotment was made based on recommendation of the minorities’ commission. “The AIADMK government is more concerned than others in improving the lot of the minorities,” he stated.

Labour Minister Nilofer Kafeel reminded Abubacker that it was the present government that had revoked the previous DMK government’s ban and permitted the Islamic students to write examinations in Urdu.

Admitting that the AIADMK government had, in just an hour’s time relaxed the rules and granted permission for the Islamic students to write in Urdu, Abubacker said there were several other issues which merited immediate attention. He urged the government to enhance grants under MLA constituency development fund besides introducing free WiFi at legislators’ offices.