Mangaluru: Karnataka Minority Development Corporation will distribute Rs 5 lakh loan at 3% interest with 50% subsidy for minority community members who have been released from jails on good conduct, under ‘Mane Malige’ scheme.MLC Ivan D’Souza said the corporation has already received 850 applications in Dakshina Kannada district and the last date for applying is August 31.“Those beneficiaries may construct house or shops using the subsidy loan released to them. The scheme is aimed at providing rehabilitation to those minority community members who are released from jails on good conduct, innocents acquitted after prosecutors failed to establish terrorist activity charges, Goonda Act and other security acts, will be given loans to build their future. While Rs 5 lakh will be released as loan, they will be getting 50% subsidy on repayment. The scheme will also be made available for those who lost houses and shops in communal riots and natural calamities,” Ivan said.The corporation also has introduced a scheme for the welfare of minority community members, who return from Gulf countries without finding a job. They will be given a loan of Rs 10 lakh each at an interest rate of 5% under collateral security basis. They will have to repay such loans within seven years, he added.Talking about the coalition government, Ivan said chief minister H D Kumaraswamy has decided to continue the Anna Bhagya Scheme without any changes after the Congress put pressure on him. “Though the government earlier had decided to reduce the quantity of rice being distributed to poor from 7kg per month to 5kg, the decision was reversed following the party’s request. Similarly, the government also decided to continue the scheme of issuing bus passes to students,” he said.Mass protest against NHAIIvan said that a mass protest opposing the delay in the national highway development work will be held against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) after August 10.“We have held discussions with NHAI officials and they have given us time till August 10. Thereafter we will plan a protest if they do not resume the construction work on flyovers at Pumpwell and Thokkottu. Our demand is to complete the development of NH 66 stretch from Byndoor in Udupi district to Thalappady on Kerala border at the earliest,” he added.

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