Now, Vokkaliga Board with ‘starter’ of Rs 500 crore
CM allocates Rs 50 crore for Brahmin welfare, Rs 200 crore for Christian community, Rs1,500 crore for other minorities
BENGALURU:
Faced with a deluge of demands from a clutch of communities in Karnataka for various types of reservations, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has obliged with a series of handouts – the biggest of them being a grant of Rs 500 crore for the establishment of a Vokkaliga Community Board catering to one of the state’s major population groups.
The Chief Minister, who has faced flak from his own Lingayat community over its demands, took the budget occasion on Monday to announce that a new board has already been established for the overall development of the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, and that of the Rs 500-crore allocation Rs 100 crore has already been released.
Yediyurappa also announced a grant of Rs 50 crore to the Brahmin Development Board for various welfare measures for the community.
‘Sabka Vikas’
The CM expressed his desire to work for the development of all communities in the state and said, “As described by Rashtra Kavi Kuvempu, Karnataka is ‘Sarva Janangada Shanthiya Thota’. Development of all communities is the wish of our government. In the current year’s (FY 21-22) budget, Rs 1,500 crore has been reserved for the upliftment of minorities.”
The Christian community too was not left out. “For the comprehensive development of the Christian community in the state, programmes for renovation/repair of churches, building of community halls, assistance to orphanages and elderly homes, etc., will be continued at an expenditure of Rs 200 crore,” he announced.
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