In an election year, after announcing a 100 per cent hike in the remuneration of Imams associated with the Delhi Wakf Board and increasing salaries of Urdu medium teachers, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday hiked monthly emoluments of Urdu teachers by Rs 11,000 each.

The chief minister also announced that henceforth Urdu educators would get honorarium of Rs 2,000 a month instead of Rs 1,500 and the topper student from Urdu schools would get a cash reward of Rs 1,000 instead of Rs 500.

Addressing the annual convention of Urdu educators at Talkatora Stadium, Dikshit said Urdu language is a "symbol of our composite culture" and that her government has been rendering all possible help in promoting Urdu in the capital.

The announcement was made in the presence of Delhi Education Minister Kiran Walia, secretary (Languages) S S Yadav, and vice-chairperson of Urdu Academy professor Akhtar-ul-Wasey.

Dikshit presented a cash reward of Rs 1,500 each to 46 Urdu educators and prizes to 90 topper students at the convention.

Welcoming the CM's decision Wasey said the increase in emoluments was much needed as through its 136 Urdu literacy centres, the academy was trying to reach out to the most deprived sections of society. "We are taking Urdu to the slums and JJ colonies of Delhi where there are barely any avenues of study," he said.

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