Bangalore, July 16, 2013: Grants to religious institutions and maths, made by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party government, had generated a great deal of controversy over the last few years.

As much as Rs. 616 crore had been released for various maths and temples in the State in the last three financial years (2010-11 to 2012-13). In a written reply to an unstarred question of Vasanth Bangera of the Congress in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Minister for Muzrai and Small Scale Industries Prakash B. Hukkeri said a sum of Rs. 199.1 crore, Rs. 167.87 crore, and Rs. 250.22 crore had been released for development of various maths and temples during the last three financial years, respectively.

For temples

The Minister said Rs. 147.94 crore had been granted for 2,809 temples in 2010-11, Rs. 121.33 crore for 4,070 temples in 2011-12 and Rs. 222.3 crore for 5,583 temples in 2012-13 in various districts of the State.

A sum of Rs. 51.16 crore, Rs. 46.53 crore and Rs. 27.91 crore had been released for 130, 183 and 252 maths during 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively, Mr. Hukkeri said.

ITI

Minister of State for Labour P.T. Parameshwara Naik in a reply to H.D. Revanna of the Janata Dal (Secular) said of 158 government Industrial Training Institutes in the State, 70 were functioning in their own buildings, 15 buildings were being constructed under NABARD’s Rural Infrastructure Development Fund and six under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development grants.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 16, 2013.