Mangalore : Karnataka Minorities DevelopmentCorporation Limited chairman NB Aboobakkar said that the government hasreserved Rs 122.5 crore for the welfare of minority communities in the statefor 2012-13.

He was speaking at the press meet held at Circuit House on June 25, Monday. He also said that the corporation has set a target ofdistributing Rs 7.03 crore through various schemes to 3,972 beneficiaries in Dakshina Kannada district. Meanwhile, Rs 10.71 crore has been earmarked for Christians under Christian Development Scheme in the district and thebeneficiaries must apply for scheme before June 30.

The corporation has a target of providing job opportunitiesin banks to 100 unemployed youth from minority communities in the state throughits banking training programme. Aboobakkar said that 52 minority communitymembers were placed in IDB and ICICI banks through the banking trainingprogramme of the corporation in the last two years. While the training, whichis being conducted by NIIT cost Rs 65,000 per head, the corporation lends Rs50,000 as loan and the candidates need to pay only Rs 15,000, he said addingthat those who secured jobs in banks are earning more than Rs 20,000 per month.

He also said that the corporation has reserved Rs 1.23 crorefor interest subsidy scheme for Christians, who availed home loans in thedistrict. The corporation will pay the interest of home loans from 2007 if theloan amount is between Rs one lakh and five lakh, he said adding that 164Christian families will be benefited through the scheme in 2012-13.

Around 1,188 students belong to minority communities will bebenefited through Arivu education loan scheme in the district. Rs 2.37 crorehas been reserved for the purpose, he said and added that there is no cut offdate for submitting applications for home loan subsidy and Arivu schemes.