Minister directs officials to end the middlemen menace in Minorities Development Corporation
Bengaluru, Jun 13: Karnataka Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan on Tuesday instructed officials concerned to put an end to the menace of middlemen in the Minorities Development Corporation and to maintain transparency in the selection of beneficiaries by giving wide publicity to the schemes of the Corporation.
Reviewing the progress at the Corporation hall here on Tuesday, he said that the Minorities Development Corporation should not have schemes for name-sake but it must be implemented effectively by promoting it across the state, according to a statement issued by his office.
There is a need for undertaking a massive campaign to make the community know of the schemes available with the Minorities Department and Development Corporation, the minister was quoted as saying.
Khan insisted that it should be made mandatory to get a 10 percent contribution from the beneficiaries in the taxi, auto, and goods vehicle loan scheme offered by the corporation. Besides, the Corporation itself must coordinate with the banks and ensure the loans are sanctioned under the Single Window scheme, he added.
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Expressing displeasure over the 15 per cent loan recovery rate of the Minorities Development Corporation, the minister wanted the recovery to be at least 50 per cent.
As much as Rs 760 crore was disbursed as the education loan was pending and that must be recovered by offering a one-time settlement with waiving off interest on the loan amounts, the statement read.
"If women from the Minority community come forward to open startups, they must be given all financial assistance along with subsidies. For the victims of communal clashes, the funds available under the 'Maneya Malige' must be utilised for their rehabilitation," the Minister said.
Khan said the corporation has sanctioned Rs 31 crore to the slum board for the construction of houses for the poor and a progress report must be prepared to know whether this scheme has benefitted them or not.
As there is a need for the continuation of the scheme, a fresh proposal must be prepared. Besides, a detailed report must be prepared earlier to seek government grants in the state budget for the implementation of various schemes of the Corporation, he added.
"He also launched a Rs 10 crore scheme to help students to study abroad which was stalled by the previous BJP government, and also a direct loan of Rs 5 lakh to 20 lakh given to start own business," the statement said.
The Minister also handed over 12 taxis, 12 autos, and four goods autos to the beneficiaries.
Khan announced setting up a task force to protect Waqf assets and steps will be taken to construct compound walls for all properties.
A divisional-level office will be set up at the local level to protect waqf properties and redress grievances at the local level, he added.
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Cricketer Rinku Singh to marry Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj
Jaunpur (UP) (PTI): Indian cricketer Rinku Singh is set to get hitched to Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Priya Saroj, according to her family.
Priya Saroj's father and SP MLA from Kerakat Tufani Saroj told PTI that his family held "meaningful talks" with Singh's father in Aligarh on January 16 regarding the marriage of their children and both sides agreed to the matrimonial alliance.
No ring ceremony or pre-wedding programme has been held so far, he said.
According to Tufani Saroj, a three-time MP, his daughter and Singh got acquainted through one of her friends whose father is also a cricketer.
"Rinku and Priya have known each other for more than a year now. They both liked each other but needed the consent of their families for their relationship. Both the families have agreed to this marriage," he said.
Dates of engagement and wedding will be decided after the Parliament session. The engagement will be held in Lucknow, he said.
Singh will be playing the T20I series against England from January 22. He will also be playing in the IPL after this. It will be ensured that the wedding functions do not impact his game, he added.
According to sources, the two families met at Singh's house in Ozone City, Aligarh and finalised the marriage by exchanging 'shagun' and gifts.
Priya Saroj is a resident of Karkhiyaon village in Varanasi. She has been associated with the SP for several years now and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Machhlishahr constituency in Jaunpur district last year at the age of 25.
A former Supreme Court lawyer, Priya Saroj first shot into the limelight while campaigning for her father in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
She graduated in arts from Delhi University before getting a law degree from Amity University, Noida.
