Madrasa funds row: Centre to seek report

Intervening into the madrasa funding row raging in J&K,the Centre has decided to ask the state government to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report

Intervening into the madrasa funding row raging in J&K,the Centre has decided to ask the state government to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report. The Union Human Resource Development ministry would seek a report on the controversy over Central funds to madrasas not reaching the beneficiaries,said sources.

At the centre of the controversy is the HRD ministrys revelation in response to a RTI query that some 372 madrasas in J&K had last year received funds from the Centre under the Centrally sponsored Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasa (SQPEM).

The RTI response,which listed 45 madrasas in Rajouri district of Jammu,44 in Anantnag district,32 in Doda,29 in Budgam district,24 each in Baramulla and Ramban districts,and two in Reasi district as beneficiaries,led to an uproar in the state with seminaries claiming that no such benefit has reached them.

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Over Rs 5.3 crore was released to these madrasas last year by the HRD ministry. However,a large number of seminaries have denied receiving Central grants. So much so that the religious conglomerate of 25 organisations,Muthada Ulma-i-Sunat Wal Jamat,rejected the Centres claim that it funds Islamic madrasas operating in Kashmir and alleged that these are attempts to tarnish their reputation.

Head of the religious conglomerate Maulana Ghulam Rasool Hami is reported to have said in a press conference that if the Government of India is sincere in its claims then it must publish the names of those madrasas that have been funded so far.

The issue acquired a political colour with the main opposition party in the state,Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),demanding a white paper on it. Alleging there was a huge gap between the amount released by the Centre and the figure acknowledged by the state,PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti recently said in a statement that not only does the issue involve huge financial transactions of dubious nature but also the reputation of one of the most respected institutions of society.

The SQPEM is a reimbursement-based scheme. Funds are released to the state after they send a proposal requesting for the same under the SQPEM. The Centre reimburses to the state the amount granted to the concerned madrasas. The ministry will now ask the state government to institute an inquiry into the matter of funds not reaching target seminaries, said a source in the ministry.

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The SQPEMS objective is to encourage traditional institutions by giving financial assistance to introduce science,mathematics,social studies,Hindi and English in their curriculum so that academic proficiency for classes I-XII is attainable for children studying in these schools.