D'Souza appointed CDC vice president

The Chief Whip of the Karnataka Legislative Council Ivan D'Souza has been appointed as vice president of the Christian Development council (CDC) of the state department of minority development, Wakf and Haj. Addressing reporters here today, he said the appointment was effective from September 24.
The council planned to disburse Rs 21.74 crore to 7,684 beneficiaries under various schemes this year as against Rs 16.35 crore given to 6,663 beneficiaries last year, he said. It started functioning with a grant of Rs 50 crore in 2011, which had now risen to an annual grant of Rs 125 crore.
Various schemes including scholarships, skill development, subsidies on home loan interest had been taken up since its formation, he said.

He said awareness programmes were conducted in various places like Bidar, Raichur, Bellary, Mangaluru, Udupi, Kalaburagi, and Yadgiri as many people were not in the know of the schemes being implemented by the council.
The council also proposed to turn it into a corporation with annual grant of Rs 300 crore so as to enable it to take up projects like construction of hostels for students and opening of minority development offices in taluk centres.