Daijiworld Media Network-Udupi (NM)

Udupi, May 9: Central government, along with state government, has instituted a number of plans for the welfare of Christian community. The plans will be implemented through Karnataka Minorities Development Board, stated a press release recently.

According to the plan, women get 33% and physically challenged get 3% of reservation for various projects. The last date for application submission is June 30, 2012.

Schemes such as Arivu Loan scheme would help Christian students pursuing professional courses in medicine, engineering, business administration, nursing and technical courses like ITI. This loan would cover the educational costs at a nominal 2 per cent interest rate to be paid in installments within a year after completion of the course.

Micro loan scheme is for those Christians who take up small scale business like vegetable vendors, tailors, fish sellers, tea shops and cycle repair. They are eligible for loans upto Rs 10,000 at five per cent rate of interest. Actually the state Corporation is only channeling this loan given by the National Minorities Development Finance Corporation.

The corporation also implements the loan scheme through Co-operative Societies registered under the Co-operative Societies Act, 1959 for the construction of house and for other requirements.

The corporation provides irrigation facility for minority farmers through lift irrigation scheme utilizing water from rivers in Ganga Kalyana scheme (Community Irrigation). Where there is no source of water available, bore-wells are dug and maintained by the corporation for 5 years before being handed over to the beneficiaries. This is an entirely subsidy scheme.

In cases where selected beneficiaries hold 2 - 5 acres of land, a bore well will be drilled and a pump-set will be supplied by the Corporation. For more information on the availability of schemes, approach the district officer for minorities, DC office Building, A Block, 1st Floor, Manipal or contact 0820-2574990.