Siddaramaiah orders increase in loan amount for medical students from minority communities

Amid accusations of appeasement politics, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday ordered increase in the loan amount being given to religious minority students studying medicine under the Arivu Education Loan Scheme.

Speaking in a meeting after overseeing the progress of the departments of Housing, Minority Welfare, Haj and Waqf, the Chief Minister emphasised that thrust should be given to the education of children belonging to minority communities.

Under the Arivu scheme, students belonging to minority communities are granted loans ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh each year, until the duration of the course.

Siddaramaiah also asked the officers to prepare an action plan of Rs 1,000 crore to develop colonies of minorities under the CM’s Special Development Schemes.

The officers informed him in the meeting that among the 19 schemes declared for minorities, government orders have been released for 16.

Siddaramaiah also asked the officers to prepare a list of seniority of beneficiaries as an overwhelming number of applications had been received for various schemes.

Minister for Housing and Minority Welfare Zameer Khan, Minister for Municipal Administration and Haj Raheem Khan were present in the meeting.