Karnataka budget 2023: Interest-free loans, self-employment and other Welfare Schemes for minorities

Bengaluru, July 7: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented his 14th Budget today. The budget this year poses a unique challenge to Siddaramaiah in mobilising resources for the implementation of the Congress’s five guarantees while making space for other development works. 

Here are the Welfare Schemes for Minority Communities announced by the CM in the maiden budget of the new Congress government. 

-- Rs 50 crore will be provided to protect and develop 40,000 Wakf properties in the state

--Interest-free loans will be provided to the tune of Rs. 20 lakh to minority students to pursue graduate and postgraduate courses in prestigious foreign universities with a global ranking of under 250.

-- To promote self-employment opportunities, for the loan amount availed from the banks, a subsidy up to 20% of the loan amount up to a maximum of Rs.1 lakh will be provided to 10,000 unemployed youth belonging to minority communities.

--A new scheme 'Swawalambi Sarathi will be introduced to encourage self-employment of the unemployed youth belonging to Minority communities. Under this, a subsidy of 50% up to a maximum of Rs. 3 lakh will be provided towards purchase of four wheeler vehicles.

--Rs 54 crore alloted for the construction of all the 126 incomplete Shadimahals and Community halls

-- A loan of Rs. 1 lakh per annum at a subsidized interest rate of 2% will be provided to minority students under the 'Arivu' - educational loan scheme. The eligible beneficiaries will be students who get admission through CET to 28 professional courses such as Engineering, Medical, etc. During the financial year, Rs. 75 crore will be reserved for this scheme.

--Language labs will be established at a cost of Rs. 5 crore in all the Minority Morarji Desai Residential Schools to improve Kannada and English language skills of students belonging to minority communities.

--Skill development training of minority youths will be started in the districts of Ramanagar, Belagavi, Davangere, Kalaburagi and Dakshina Kannada at a cost of Rs. 4 crore.

--A grant of Rs. 8 Crores will be provided to impart training through prestigious institutions for two years for the students studying in minority pre-university residential colleges in order to prepare them for NET, JEE, CET and other entrance examinations.

--A ten month residential coaching program for IAS/KAS and other competitive exams will be offered to the minority aspirants in Haj Bhavan, Bengaluru, in collaboration with reputed coaching institutions.