Karnataka's Congress government yet to release major funds for Minority Welfare Programs
Despite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s announcement of a 33% increase in the 2025–26 budget allocation for minorities, many flagship programs and schemes launched with much fanfare remain unfulfilled due to inefficient fund utilization by the Minority Welfare Department and poor fund allocation by the Government of Karnataka.
Important welfare programmes for minorities promised in the Chief Minister's budget speech 2025-26?
● An action plan for Rs. 1,000 crore prepared under Chief Minister’s Minority Colony Development Programme with multiple works to be implemented in the year 2025-26.
● Construction of multi-purpose halls across the state for the minority communities to organize cultural and social activities.
● A PU college with hostel facility to be started in Ullal for girl students belonging to minority communities.
● 16 new women's colleges in vacant plots of Waqf institutions to support higher education of minority women.
Major programs announced, but minor funds released
As per the minority department's own report till October, major welfare programs are yet to receive a significant portion of the fund that was allocated to the minorities.
● Out of the 715 crores allocated for the Chief Minister's Special Development Programme for Minorities, only 178.75 crores has been released, which amounts to just 25% of the total fund released.
● Similarly, out of the 400 crores allocated for the minority slum and colony development programme in urban areas, only 100 crores has been released, which again amounts to just 25% of fund released.
● For the construction of additional rooms to Moulana Azad Schools 100 crores was allocated, out of which just 50 crores has been released to the minority department.
Minority welfare department's failure to utilize available funds, who is to blame?
The government has been dragging its feet in releasing the promised funds for minority welfare while the Minority Welfare Department has miserably failed to effectively utilize even the limited funds received.
Such bureaucratic neglect and inefficiency is becoming a major roadblock in the social and economic progress of Karnataka’s minority communities. Here are few examples:
● The Vidyasiri scholarship scheme that aims to provide food and accommodation assistance to minority students, offering a stipend of Rs. 1,500 per month for 10 months had 50% fund released by the Government amounting to 25 crore. Shockingly, the utilization has been 0% till October.
● Under the scheme for providing quality education in madrasas, the minority department received 50% funds amounting to 17.5 crore. The utilization again has been 0% here.
● Out of the 178.75 crore received under Chief Minister's Special Development Programme for Minorities only 103 crores has been spent, The utilization here is 57.6%.
The Need to Introspect and correct before its late
With half the year already gone, the government is lagging behind in ensuring that the intended programmes for the upliftment of minorities get completed in the current year. Is this delay the result of poor planning, lack of accountability or deliberate inefficiency?
To set things right, there is a strong need for the government to introspect on what's going wrong, immediately release the complete fund and ensure 100% utilization.
It is also the duty of Karnataka State Minority Commission to monitor, study and ensure that all welfare programs for minorities are executed efficiently and achieve the desired outcomes.
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In a first, Meitei MLA visits Kuki relief camp in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): In a first since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur in 2023, a Meitei MLA on Monday visited a relief camp set up for the Kuki community in Ukhrul district.
BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who represents the Singjamei constituency in Imphal West, visited a camp at Litan Sareikhong and interacted with Kuki inmates who fled their homes during the violence.
"With Christmas approaching, we all should pray for the return of peace in the state," he told the inmates.
"There are conflicts almost everywhere in the world. But we should learn to live in harmony despite the existing differences. There should not be any hindrance in visiting each other's villages," he added.
Singh said this conflict should not be allowed to affect the future of children.
"We, the elders, both in the Hills and the Valley, may have differences, but we should think about our children's future," he said.
State BJP vice president H Shimray, who belongs to the Naga community, said Singh's visit is part of efforts to restore peace in the state and bring back the "previous love that existed between communities".
"We have been talking with Yumnam on how to start an interaction. He said there had to be a beginning," Shimray added.
Speaking to reporters, an inmate of the camp urged the government to allow them to return to their homes.
Over 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities, which have deeply divided the state on ethnic lines.
The state has been under the President's Rule since February, after BJP leader N Biren Singh resigned amid criticisms over his government's handling of the crisis.
