Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah gives fresh incentives to fight untouchability

Bengaluru: In line with his partiality for the Ahinda cause, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced attractive schemes to uplift the scheduled castes and tribes, other backward castes and minorities in the the state Budget.

Attacking untouchability still in vogue in rural Karnataka, he has increased incentives to encourage inter-caste marriages among the scheduled caste communities. Every SC girl marrying a boy from another caste will receive not Rs. 3 lakh but Rs. 5 lakh now. And an SC boy marrying out of community will receive Rs. 3 lakh. Similar incentives of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh will be given to the children of Devadasis.

Mr Siddaramaiah also promised to nominate a member of the pourakarmika community to the BBMP, corporations, CMCs and TMCs across the state. Interestingly, the government has decided to sent 750 backward classes students for higher education to foreign universities for the next five years and 150 students will be selected during 2018-19. Also, the creamy layer income limit for reservation for backward classes has been increased from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.

As for the Christian community, the Budget has allocated Rs. 200 crore for its welfare, and Rs 80 crore for development of Jains and Sikhs. The Budget has allocated Rs. 2281 crore for minorities welfare and of this amont Rs. 800 crore will be given to provide basic infrastructure facilities in areas predominantly inhabited by them Special cash incentives of Rs. 25,000 will be given to students pursuing B.Ed and D.ED courses. And a Maharshi Valmiki Study and Research Institute will be established at Devanahalli.