Madikeri: Mangaluru MLA and president of Vidhana Mandala Backward Class and Minorities’ Committee J R Lobo urged Christians to utilize the funds meant for the community from the State government.
Addressing Christian community representatives at St Michael School on Thursday, Lobo said that Rs 125 crore has been reserved for the development of the Christian community. “The state government has announced a special aid for the development of all the communities in the budget and has undertaken several programmes in this regard. For the development of Christian community Rs 125 crores has been reserved which must be utilised for pro-societal programmes,” he added.
He further said, “For the development of Christian community the government has formed a Christian development committee. Bengaluru city development minister K J George has been appointed as president and I have been appointed as the vice-president of the committee. Another committee has been formed for which I have been appointed as the president and you can file applications for renovation of churches, cemetery, compound walls, training for art-crafts making and many other pro-societal works.”
Lobo said that the population of Christians in the State is about 3.6 per cent and the government has given special attention to develop the community. But it is learnt that the Christian community is lagging behind in availing government facilities and utilizing government funds. Hence the community members must come forward and make use of the government facilities. Special camps must be held across the district to publicize government programmes and the public must approach officials to know about the government schemes, he stated.
Aid up to one crore can be availed in corporation limits, while Rs 50 lakhs can be availed in municipal and town councils. The government provides aid to maintain old age homes too. In the coming days we have plans to extend the funds for hostels and health centres. The government is also committed to protect property rights of the minorities, Lobo informed.
Several representatives of the community raised their demands during the meeting. Committee members, officials of the public education department and others were present.
