The Tibetan settlements in the state has received Rs. 3 crore grant-in-aid from Karnataka government. Tibetan settlements in the state will benefit from the aid as the support will greatly help in the administrative expenses as well as other benefits. The aid has been a much needed timely support from the host authorities to the Tibetans in the state.
Five Tibetan settlements with largest populations of Tibetan refugees are located in the state of Karnataka. The state government has been one of the first states from India to accept Tibetan refugees by providing dedicated lands so that they could set up their communities. Due to remoteness of the settlements, Tibetans have long been engaged in doing seasonal businesses across the country.
Department of Home Kalon, Mr. Sonam Topgyal Khorlatsang during a meeting regarding the aid explained that the Tibetan refugee settlements in Karnataka faces many challenges. The problems are due to lack of effective financial resources for maintenance, development and its administration.
The Chief Tibetan Representative Officer in Bangalore was the field officer in securing the aid. The CRO explained that the home kalon had submitted the formal request to the government in December 2018. Such grant in aid which was provided in December 2019 will help resolve long standing issues and help long term sustainability.
The five Tibetan settlements in Karnataka, India comprise of major chunk of Tibetan refugees in the country. Esitmate is that more than forty thousand Tibetan refugees are sheltered by the state. The largest seats of Tibetan Buddhism in Mundgod and Byllakuppe are also located there.
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