Minority corporation to aid flood-hit

The Karnataka Minority Development Corporation Ltd (KMDCL) has come forward to provide financial assistance to the tune of Rs 4.29 crore to members of minority communities affected by the recent floods. The assistance will be for rehabilitation and construction of houses.

KMDCL chairman N B Abubakker told reporters here that each beneficiary would be given Rs 1 lakh of which 50 per cent will be in the form of a loan at 6 per cent interest and the rest in the form of subsidy.

When asked why the KMDCL was diverting funds to flood relief when the government had taken up work under the calamity relief fund, Abubaker said the officials assessing the loss in certain flood-affected areas had left out some families belonging to minority communities. He cited the example of a village in Uttara Kannada district where the tahasildar had allegedly taken only five houses as damaged while actually, 10 houses had suffered serious damage there.

He said the corporation had decided to waive the loans obtained under the micro subsidy and self reliance scheme from the corporation by those affected by floods. The corporation will provide Rs 3.22 crore at the rate of Rs 20,000 each under the scheme. It will benefit 1,610 persons, Abubaker said.

The state government has made a budgetary allocation of Rs 49.20 crore to KMDCL this year. Abubaker said he had sent out a proposal seeking the allocation to be hiked to Rs 100 crore per annum. He said, so far the government released Rs 18 crore which was disbursed to 15,000 beneficieries. The National Minority Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) has provided Rs 2.16 crore as equity.

Replying to a question, the chairman said the KMDCL had earmarked 80 per cent of the funds to Muslims, 15 per cent to Christians and the remaining 5 per cent for other minority communities. The allocation is based on the population of each minority community, he explained.