Rs 1,000 cr action plan for minority colonies: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday sought an action plan worth Rs 1,000 crore to develop minority-dominated localities.

The directive came after Siddaramaiah, at a public event earlier this month, promised that he would gradually increase budgetary allocation for minorities to Rs 10,000 crore.

At a meeting to review the minority welfare department, Siddaramaiah said the action plan should cover minority colonies and areas where their population is large should be identified.

Siddaramaiah also said that his government was ready to pay scholarship for minority students as the Centre had stopped it. “The government is ready to pay scholarships to 6.4 lakh students. While Rs 60 crore is earmarked in the budget, another Rs 40 crore must be arranged with funds available with the department through re-appropriation,” the CM said, according to a statement from his office.

It was also decided to increase allocation for various schemes meant for minorities. “A huge number of applications are being received online for these schemes,” the CM noted.

In the 2023-24 fiscal, Siddaramaiah has allocated Rs 2,101.19 crore for minority welfare.

Housing: CM seeks proposal

In a statement, Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan said Siddaramaiah had instructed officials to submit a proposal on funds required to complete 52,189 houses meant for the poor under the PM Awas Yojana through the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation.

Siddaramaiah was briefed that beneficiaries had not paid their contribution amounting to Rs 2,013 crore. Beneficiaries have paid only Rs 134 crore. "Most of the beneficiaries are poor and not in a position to pay Rs 4 lakh each. They don't get loan from banks. As was done for the Karnataka Slum Development Board, if each beneficiary pays Rs 1 lakh and the rest borne by the government, this housing project would be completed," Zameer said.