Telangana govt. plans extensive Iftar dinners across Hyderabad for Ramzan

The Telangana government has put in place elaborate arrangements for Ramzan Iftar dinners, identifying 448 locations across Hyderabad and its surroundings.

To ensure citywide reach, the Minorities Welfare Department will organise Iftar dinners at two mosques in each of the 150 wards under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits. Additionally, four mosques in each Assembly constituency within the GHMC area have been identified for the programme.

A Right to Information (RTI) query revealed that, to ensure inclusivity, the government has decided to organise Iftar dinners in mosques belonging to minority denominations and sects, including those associated with the Shia and Mahdavi communities. Orphanages have also been included among the 448 identified venues.

Outside the GHMC limits, a total of 378 mosques across 98 Assembly constituencies have been selected for similar programmes.

Senior officials have been entrusted with overseeing arrangements across clusters of constituencies. For instance, the Director of the Centre for Educational Development of Minorities will supervise preparations in the Musheerabad, Amberpet, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills and Goshamahal constituencies.

On February 16, the department had issued a Government Order detailing the constitution of a 12-member organising committee to supervise arrangements for the Chief Minister’s Iftar dinner. The committee will be chaired by Minister for Minorities Welfare Mohammed Azharuddin while the vice-chairman will be Adviser to the Government on SC, ST, OBC and Minorities Welfare, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, and members are commissioners of police, among others.

“According to the RTI reply, the budgetary allocation for Ramzan is ₹33 crore. We hope it is used fully, diligently and in time,” said RTI activist Kareem Ansari.