JOIN USThe state government will establish Karnataka State Brahmin Development Board to provide assistance for the development of economically-backward members in the Brahmin community, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy announced in the budget.
He has earmarked Rs 25 crore for this. He has also announced that the government will celebrate Shankaracharya Jayanti all over the state to honour the 8th century Adviatha philosopher.
Participating in the ‘Bengaluru Mahanagara Viprara Samavesha’ organised by Akhila Karnataka Brahmana Mahasabha in February, Kumaraswamy had said that if his party comes to power, his government would set up a Brahmin Development Authority, as demanded by the Mahasabha.Over and above this, his government would also create a ‘Vipra Nidhi’ and set aside Rs 100 crore for it, he had promised.
Meanwhile, the state government has also earmarked Rs 10 crore for the Arya Vysya Development Corporation. “It’s just that I did not include it in the budget speech,” Kumaraswamy told reporters later.
Kumaraswamy has earmarked a grant of Rs 25 crore to over a dozen religious mutts and institutions involved in charity, education, social service and development. Some of the 17 institutions Kumaraswamy named in the budget are Sri Madara Chennaiah Guru Peetha, Sri Kaginele Mahasamsthana, Yadava Mahasamsthana, Valmiki Gurupeeth and Karnataka Rajya Kumbara Kshemabhivruddi Sangha.
Kumaraswamy’s first budget speech as head of the Congress-JD(S) coalition was trim compared with that of his predecessor Siddaramaiah’s budget in February. Kumaraswamy’s budget speech ran into 51 pages, whereas Siddaramaiah’s budget was bigger by exactly hundred pages - 151 pages.