Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has clarified allegations of discrimination in the allocation of grants for the construction of community halls and student hostels for backward classes, stating that the higher allocation to the Kuruba community was not intentional.
Responding through social media platform X, Siddaramaiah said the Backward Classes Welfare Department had examined applications received from various organisations and institutions and issued preliminary approval to around 155 organisations for construction works worth ₹71.85 crore.
He clarified that the list is not final and applications from other backward communities will also be reviewed in subsequent phases before further grants are sanctioned.
Siddaramaiah said preliminary approvals have been issued not only to the Kuruba community but also to several other communities including Madiwala, Lingayat, Vokkaliga, Besta, Balija, Golla, Jetty, Kumbara, Arasu, Helava, Savita Samaj, Uppara, Ganiga, Kuruhina Shetty, Halakki and Reddy communities.
Explaining the process, he said the approval issued so far is only an initial clearance and not a final grant release order. The concerned organisations must submit documents such as land records, building permissions and three-year audit reports to become eligible for fund release.
He added that, as per government guidelines, the funds will be released in three phases after assessing the progress of construction works.
Siddaramaiah further stated that the existing reservation-based grant allocation system — 70% for Category-1 and 2A communities and 30% for Category-3A and 3B communities — has also influenced the distribution pattern.
He said the government is committed to ensuring that all eligible backward communities receive support under the scheme.
