Its five years now, T-PRIME scheme for Muslim entrepreneurs makes no ground

Despite of passing five long years after the idea first mooted in the year 2015, the T-PRIME scheme – being introduced to promote entrepreneurship among the minorities on par with the T-PRIDE initiative, is still lying in cold storage. This is after a slew of orders and memos were issued while several measures from constituting an officers’ committee to framing guidelines remain confined to paperwork.

It was in the year 2015 when the Telangana government for the first time introduced T-PRIDE (Telangana State Program for Rapid Incubation of Dalit Entrepreneurs) for scheduled caste, scheduled tribe entrepreneurs and physically handicapped persons through G.O.M.s No.78 dated 9^th October 2015.

However, the Government’s other move comes in the year 2018 almost three years later when the same benefits of the scheme identically extended to minority entrepreneurs by introducing T-PRIME on par with T-PRIDE through G.O.Ms.No. 16, dated 13^th March 2018 after carefully examining the representation made in the year 2015 by Abul Fateh Syed Bandi Badshah Quadri, Director Telangana Chamber of Trade and Industries Promotion.

“Keeping the push and shove continue to make it believe that the issue is still in active consideration, a G.O.306 has been issued through Minorities Welfare Department on 15^th September 2018. Soon, a memo was also issued on 19^th December 2018 by the Secretary to Government, Minority Welfare Department regarding the constitution of officer’s committee for the preparation of guidelines to implement the scheme,” said Abul Fateh Bandagi Badshah Quadri.

“Even the Director Minority Welfare Department reciprocates twelve days later with a letter to Secretary to Government Minorities Welfare Department, issued on 31^st December 2018, requesting the government to approve the T-PRIME guidelines with further orders. But to our dismay no concrete action to come to light with regard to implementation of the scheme, he rued.

“Despite of all the orders and reciprocations with regard to the scheme forming a complete circle on 9^th October last month no concrete step was taken to implement the scheme for the minority entrepreneurs so far. The push and shove is still going on between the line departments without ripening any result,” rued, M.M.Yousuf, Chairman Telangana Trade and Industries Promotion.