Hindu population reducing in India, minorities flourishing: Rijiju

Bengaluru, Jun 12: The Karnataka government is mulling to issue caste and income certificates to Brahmins though they are in a minority, accounting a mere three per cent of the southern state''s seven crore population, an official said on Thursday.

"Though Brahmins are in a ''minority'' in terms of their population across the state, they need caste and income certificates to benefit from the welfare schemes as in the case of the SC, ST and OBC groups," an official said here.

The Karnataka State Brahmin Development Board was set up in March 2019 as a state-run company with Rs five crore authorized capital and Rs five crore equity and is registered with the Registrar of Companies.

"The Board has petitioned the state government to implement the 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker sections, as its benefit is being given by the central government jobs and in admissions to the national educational institutions," said its chairman H.S. Sachidananda Murthy.

Responding to the demand, state Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said the state government would consider issuing caste certificates to the Brahmins so that they too can benefit from the state''s various welfare schemes.

"Though Brahmins belong to the forward community, they are economically weaker and need financial support," said Yediyurappa on Wednesday after unveiling the Board''s official website for all its stakeholders here.

Brahmins whose gross annual family income is less than Rs eight lakh per annum will be eligible for the benefit schemes.

"The Board will soon be authorised to issue caste and income certificates to the members of the Brahmin community so that they can also benefit from the schemes," said the chief minister on the occasion.

Noting that every community has people who are forward and backward economically for various, including historical reasons, Yediyurappa said the Board would be empowered to serve the Brahmins.

"The Board also proposes to provide interest-free loans to the financially weaker sections of the people in the Brahmin community," added Murthy.

The community members urged the Chief Minister to provide 10 per cent of the state government jobs and seats in state-run educational institutions, including professional collages.

Mangalore, Jan 12: Thieves reportedly stole around 70,000 cash from a MESCOM ATP machine located at Chembugudde in Thokkottu, Police said here on Sunday.

Police said that the theft took place in the MESCOM sub-division office at Chembugudde. It was said that the thieves broke open the room where the MESCOM customers bill payment machine was located and stole 70,000 rupees cash from the ATP machine.

This machine had nine lakh rupees cash. The amount was reported to have been transferred at around 1500 hrs on Saturday.

Belagavi, Jun 6: Suspecting that cow meat was being transported to Goa, unidentified persons set goods vehicle on fire near Karle village in Belagavi taluk last night.

The Incident came to the fore on Saturday morning.

Usually, vehicles carrying vegetables, milk and other essentials being transported to Goa and other towns plying via Karle village near Belagavi.

Sources said that for the past few days vehicles carrying meat were stopped and were handed over to police by section of activists suspecting it to be cow meat.

Persons who set the vehicle on fire were yet to be identified. Jurisdictional Belagavi Rural police have rushed to the spot. More details were awaited.