India: Archbishop Machado applauds the Karnataka government's decision to grant 12 million USD to the Christian Development Corp

Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore, India, thanked Siddaramaiah, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, for allocating one billion rupees (100 crore rupees) to establish the Karnataka State Christian Development Corporation during the 14th budget meeting on July 7, 2023.

To pursue graduate and postgraduate degrees at foreign universities with a global ranking below 250, minority students will be given interest-free loans worth 2 million rupees (20 lakh rupees).

Siddaramaiah said, "The central government has stopped financial assistance for the scholarship scheme for minority pre-matric students. However, we are still planning to continue this project and will provide 600 million rupees (60 crore rupees)."

He also stated, "10 Morarji residential schools will be opened for minority students in the current year."

For minority students enrolled in pre-degree colleges, 80 million rupees (8 crore rupees) will be provided to reputed institutes for preparation for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), National Eligibility and Entrance Examination (NEET), and Common Entrance Test (CET).

The establishment of the Christian Development Corporation was proposed for the 2020 state budget but abandoned.

As the President of the Karnataka Catholic Bishops' Council and of the All Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights, Archbishop Peter Machado stated, "The Christian Community of Karnataka is pleased to express its profound appreciation and gratitude to the government of Karnataka, under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, for elevating the Christian Development Council to the esteemed status of Christian Development Corporation."

"In addition, we extend our sincere thanks to the state for the generous allocation of 1000 million rupees (100 crore rupees) that will help uplift the Christian community within the state." the Prelate added.

"These funds will play a crucial role in the implementation of diverse programs and initiatives that will address the unique challenges faced by our community," the Archbishop said. "As well as providing enhanced access to quality education, healthcare facilities, employment opportunities, and overall socioeconomic growth, this community will greatly benefit from serving the poor and marginalized."

The Archbishop noted that this gesture underscores the government's unwavering commitment to fostering harmony, inclusivity, and overall well-being for all Karnataka communities.

"We are eagerly anticipating the effective implementation of Christian Development Corporation's various programs and initiatives, and we remain optimistic that these measures will contribute to the holistic development and well-being of our community, enabling it to participate actively in the state's development journey," the prelate said.