Mumbai, Jul 10 (IANS): Nagpur businessman and head of the Hazrat Baba Tajuddin Trust Pyare Jiya Khan took charge as the new Chairman of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission in the presence of top dignitaries, officials said here on Wednesday.

Along with Khan, Chetan K. Dedhia also took over as the new Vice-Chairman at a special ceremony attended by Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly Rahul Narwekar, Minorities Development Minister Abdul Sattar, Haji Syed Salman Chishty of Dargah Ajmer Sharif, Syed Afshan Chishty, Sheikh Abdul Wasey Chishty, and others.

Felicitating Khan and Dedhia, Haji Syed Salman Chishty - who is the Gaddi Nashin of Dargah Ajmer Sharif - lauded the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, for the welfare of the minority communities in the country.

He urged the new team to focus on key areas like educational empowerment through new scholarship programmes for minorities to deserving students from economically backward sections, vocational and skill development, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, encouraging start-ups, loans, etc. to ensure their overall socio-economic development.

Haji Syed Salman Chishty also highlighted the importance of fostering interfaith dialogues, cooperation to promote peace and understanding among communities at the national and international levels.

There was a need to prioritise health care and social welfare of the minorities from various evils through community development projects in alliance with NGOs and social welfare institutions working in collaboration with the Maharashtra government, for not only Muslims but other minorities like Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis, he urged.

On their part, Speaker Narwekar and Minister Sattar reiterated the state government’s commitment towards the welfare of the minority communities and highlighted current and future initiatives in that direction.