Karnataka CM announces slew of sops for minorities in budget 2023-24
Bengaluru, Jul 7: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced establishment of a Christian Development Corporation in the state and development of pilgrimage centres of Jain, Muslim and Sikh communities in the budget for 2023-24.
Besides, Rs 360 crore will be allocated for Chief Ministers' Special Development Programme and Minorities Colony Development Programme in the year, he said.
A grant of Rs 25 crore would be provided for the development of major pilgrimage centres of Jain community while Rs 25 crore for the development of Gurudwara in Halasuru in Bengaluru.
Similarly, Gurudwaras in Mysuru, Ballari, Kalaburgi and Hubballi, would be developed at a cost of Rs 5 crore, Siddaramaiah said adding a monthly honorarium would be provided to the Granthis serving in the Gurudwaras.
"Our government is committed to striving for the upliftment of minority communities of the state. Our priority is to provide education and employment opportunities to these communities," Siddaramaiah said in his budget speech.
A loan of Rs one lakh per annum at a subsidised interest rate of two per cent would be provided to minority students under the Arivu' (Awareness) educational loan scheme.
Eligible beneficiaries will be students obtaining admissions through Common Entrance Test to 28 professional courses such as engineering and medicine. During the current financial year, Rs 75 crore will be allotted for this scheme, the CM said.
Noting that there are more than 40,000 Wakf properties in the state, Siddaramaiah said they would be protected and developed with Rs 50 crore.
A 10-month residential coaching programme for IAS, KAS and other competitive exams will be offered to the minority aspirants in Haj Bhavan, Bengaluru, in collaboration with reputed coaching institutions, he added.
Meanwhile, Archbishop of Bengaluru Rev Dr Peter Machado hailed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's decision to elevate the Christian Development Council to the status of Christian Development Board.
In a statement, he said the decision "is a praiseworthy stride in bolstering the comprehensive development of the Christian community in the state."
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
