In a major dole, the BJP government on Tuesday provided an additional Rs 857.5 crore to 19 development corporations that cover SC, ST, backward classes and minorities.
This is seen as Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s outreach to various social groups amid a raging controversy over school textbooks that has put BJP on the back foot.
With the additional grant, the corporations now have Rs 3,172.13 crore to take up various welfare programmes.
Before the additionality, these corporations had an opening balance of Rs 1,611.92 crore, budgetary allocation of Rs 563.52 crore and Rs 175.19 crore under SC/ST sub-plans.
The one-time extra allocation will help the corporations cover more beneficiaries under the Ganga Kalyana (bore wells), purchase of two-wheelers, Land Purchase Scheme, self-employment, micro credit and the Arivu educational loans, Bommai said in a statement.
"This will lead to comprehensive development of SC, ST, backward classes and minorities," he said.
Of the 19 state-run bodies, the Dr BR Ambedkar Development Corporation (for SC welfare) has Rs 598 crore, the D Devaraj Urs Backward Classes Development Corporation has Rs 467.82 crore and the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation has Rs 382 crore.