Mangaluru: The Christian Development Committee of Karnataka sees a new Vice-President from September 24 this year. Ivan D’Souza, the Chief Whip of Legislative Council will assist minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Tanveer Sait who is also the President of the Christian Development Committee, a wing of the Karnataka Minority Development, Haj and Wakf Department.
Since the establishment of the committee in 2011, a lot of funding is happening in a variety of welfare development programmes, few of these include skill development training, home loan interest subsidy, scholarships and other welfare schemes are being taken up for the cause ‘Christians’ Upliftment’.
“There are a lot of benefits for the economically backward Christian families but the takers are very few due to a lack of awareness. Several awareness programmes have been conducted over time in villages of Yadgiri, Bidar, Raichur, Udupi and other districts. In 2011, there was a total grant of Rs. 50 crore, but now it has been increased to Rs. 125 crores. Hostel constructions for rural Christian students who study in the cities, taluk wise centres for minority development will also be built”, Ivan D’Souza said.
“An office for the minority development is being built in Pandeshwar at the cost of Rs. 3.25 crore. Out of which an amount of Rs. 2 crore has already been sanctioned out of which Rs. 1.75 crore has been spent and a request has been made to the State Government for an additional sanction of Rs. 1.25 crore”, He said.
As per the handouts given by the Chief Whip Office, 6339 minorities have been benefitted in 2014-15 and 6663 have been benefitted in 2015-16 all over the state with a funding of Rs. 18.43 crore and Rs. 16.34 crore respectively. The year 2016-17 will target 7684 minorities with a funding of Rs. 21.74 crore.
Ivan D’Souza later distributed cheques of Rs. 7,73,506 in total among ten minority families who have various ailments.
