New Rules in ‘Indiramma Mahila Scheme’ Exclude Poor Muslim Women, Claims TSSMTS

NEWS CHARIOT (Karimnagar, Dec.19) : In a statement to the media, Md. Shabbir, the State President of the Telangana State Sanchara Muslim Tegala Sangam (TSSMTS), has raised concerns regarding the new regulations imposed under the ‘Indiramma Mahila Shakti’ scheme, which is administered by the Minority Finance Corporation. Shabbir alleges that the new guidelines are effectively preventing poor Muslim women from benefiting from the scheme, which was intended to empower them economically.

The ‘Indiramma Mahila Shakti’ scheme, which aims to provide sewing machines to eligible women in the state, has been a crucial support mechanism for many low-income households, offering them an opportunity to start small businesses and become financially independent. However, the newly introduced regulations have caused significant concern, particularly among marginalized Muslim women, as they are now finding it increasingly difficult to access the benefits of the scheme.

Speaking in Karimnagar, Md. Shabbir emphasized that the restrictions outlined by the Minority Finance Corporation are discriminatory, suggesting that they do not account for the economic realities faced by the intended beneficiaries. He called on the government to review the regulations and ensure that the scheme truly serves its purpose of uplifting the most vulnerable sections of society, including the poor Muslim women who are being left out due to these new barriers.

Shabbir said that in many rural areas particularly among the Muslims communities of Sanchara Tegalu, education remains a significant challenge. Additionally training certificates of sewing machines are scarce within these communities living in villages and some leading the nomadic life.

These women typically acquire skills locally without formal training or certification. The lack of access to education and training opportunities continues to affect the overall socio-economic development of these communities.

Keeping rules of minimum fifth-grade education and a tailoring training certificate is leaving almost all the women of Muslim communities at a disadvantage and many of them are losing their eligibility for various opportunities.

Several committees have highlighted the socio-economic challenges faced by Muslims. The Sanchara Committee that was formed under the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also addressed this issue, revealing that Muslims significantly lagged behind in terms of education and overall development.

Moreover, there will be no training centres in thandas, villages and mandals. If the corporation would have established any training centres in the villages and mandals and would have given training to these communities, the regulations might have been justified.

These new regulations are becoming barriers to widows, divorced and single women and will find it difficult to obtain such certificates, as a result they can meet the eligibility criteria, so the government must remove these two requirements keeping in view the living mode of Sanchara Muslim communities, he urged.