Education can bring social change: U. Nisar Ahmed

CH NEWS, Udupi Karnataka State Minorities Commission Chairman U. Nisar Ahmed stressed that quality education is essential for social transformation and urged officials to ensure that every child from minority communities receives an education. He was speaking at a review meeting on the implementation of the Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Rajatadri, Manipal. Ahmed emphasized improving the quality of government schools, strengthening infrastructure and increasing student enrolment. He directed education officials to conduct regular school inspections. He also called for better monitoring of the district’s 1,522 Anganwadi centres, including 155 serving minority communities, and effective distribution of nutritious food to nursing mothers. He urged officials to provide skill development opportunities to minority students in ITIs, promote overseas employment opportunities and increase awareness of the e-Shram scheme. Labour identity cards and toolkits should be distributed through special camps. Highlighting the needs of persons with disabilities, he called for improved facilities in the district’s 15 special schools and opportunities for individuals to showcase their talents. Ahmed stressed mandatory registration of street vendors and wider awareness of the PM SVANidhi scheme, which provides collateral-free loans of ₹10,000, ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 in successive stages, subject to repayment conditions. He directed agriculture and horticulture officials to ensure that more minority-community members benefit from government schemes. He also encouraged students to utilise educational loans for higher studies. Emphasising communal harmony, Ahmed instructed police to take strict legal action against social media content that incites religious tensions. He urged departments to ensure that minority communities benefit fully from Central and State government welfare schemes. Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa T.K. reiterated that every child below 14 must receive compulsory education and called for coordinated efforts among departments to prevent children from dropping out of school. Mujibulla Jafari, A.S.P. Sudhakar Nayak, District Minority Welfare Officer Jinendra M., committee members and district officials attended the meeting.