A Study of Muslims in the Newly Formed State of Telangana

Abstract

The study attempts to understand the socio-economic and living conditions of Muslim communities with an emphasis on the livelihood and status of women living in slums located in the old city of Hyderabad. To this end, it collected information 2,354 households of 19 slums using the qualitative and quantitative data gathered from their residents. Using this, this report looked closely at the policy framework and institutional capacity of the state for the socio-economic development of Muslims. Evidence culled from a review of documents and reports, interviews with government department officials and field observations hinted at improved institutional performances, thanks to initiatives such as the creation of Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) in 2006 and the relaunching of the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme with an emphasis on educational opportunities, employment and economic activities and living conditions. However, the analysis and findings of this study still identified several institutional incapacities in terms of gaps between development needs and policies especially in the context of marginalised and poor communities.