Ministry of Minority Affairs will request Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to provide more funds for scholarships to improve the educational status of minorities in general and muslims in particular. 

"The scholarship programme of the Ministry is a successful programme. We will request the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to give us more money in this head this time," Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed told reporters after taking charge of the Ministry on Friday.

Khursheed also said that his Ministry would prepare a blueprint for next hundred day's work to be taken up as per the directive of the Prime Minister.

Asked whether he would like minority education to be shifted to his ministry from Human Resource Development, Khursheed, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) said, "we must talk about it."

He was, however, quick to add that he did not want this to be seen as a turf battle or as a desire to expand and he had an "open mind" on the issue.

While lauding the work done by the HRD on Madarsa education, the Minister maintained, "Madarsa education is not with us but that does not mean we cannot give suggestions."

Though he felt that no madarsa could function if it was separated from technical education, he stressed on narrowing the communication gap over the issue saying, "if we do good for somebody and he takes it bad, it is not okay. There is a need for communication." (NZ-29/05)