K'taka Cabinet expansion soon: Yediyurappa

Mysore, Jun 15: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa today indicated that the Cabinet would soon be expanded.

Talking to newspersons here, he said once Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy set a date, the expansion could be arranged. The appointment of Chairpersons to various Boards and Corporations would also be taken up.

Referring to loans at four per cent interest to farmers in the State through cooperative banks, he urged the Union Government to take up the issue with nationalised banks as well. He would lead a delegation to Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram shortly in this regard, he added.

Mr Yediyurappa announced that the Government was planning to provide training to unemployed youths in the State, providing monthly stipend of Rs 150 through small scale industries. After the training, the youths would be provided with jobs wherever necessary.

The draft for the scheme, which would benefit nearly one lakh unemployed youths in the State, had been worked out.

He said an additional amount of Rs 150 crore had been released to take up repair works of PWD roads in the State.

On a complaint that scholarships for Scheduled Caste students were not being paid, he said this was brought to his notice recently, following which he had immediately released the required amount. Rs six crore had been earmarked in the State budget for the Social Welfare department for the purpose, he added.

UNI