CM Siddaramaiah presents Annual Budget for 2026-27 before Legislature
Bengaluru: The Budget Session of the Legislature began on Friday, March 6, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also Finance Minister of Karnataka, presenting the Annual Budget for the year 2026-27 before the Legislature.
This is the record 17th Budget being presented by Siddaramaiah as Finance Minister.
Siddaramaiah has said that the budget size for the year is Rs 4.48 lakh crore, adding that the GST collected by Karnataka is the second highest in the country.
The CM added that, in spite of the Central government depriving Karnataka of its fair share of financial support, the state was developing fast. There was a rapid growth in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Beyond Bengaluru campaign was supporting investment in other parts of the state.
Here are the live updates:
► A folklore convention, ‘Janapada Sangama’ to be organized at an expenditure of Rs 2 crore
► A memorial to be built honouring Salumarada Thimmakka
► State-of-the-art AI laboratories to be provided to 50 government colleges at a cost of Rs 10 crore
► Women to be given training in modern agricultural skill development
► Up to 3.08 lakh eligible beneficiaries under Yuvanidhi Yojana to get Rs 913 crore as unemployment allowance in three years
► Government to undertake direct recruitment to fill 8,000 vacant posts in Home Department
► Efforts to be made to complete construction of 4.9 lakh houses
► Funds of Rs 1 crore to be allocated for publication of Dalit literature
► Twelve new police stations to be opened in state
► CM aims for Rs 45,000 crore State Excise Revenue in financial year 2026-27
► Government to reserve Rs 30,000 crore to provide agriculture loans with zero rate of interest to 38 lakh farmers
► Yadgir, Karwar to get super-specialty hospitals
► Rs 10 crore for strengthening the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) unit
► Rs 5 crore allocated for education of children of former Devadasis
► Sales tax on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to be reduced from 14.34% to 5%
► Approval of Jal Jeevan Mission work to be allocated Rs. 69,488 crore
► Grant of Rs 400 crore allocated to Ayushman scheme
► Hubballi-Dharwad city to be provided skill training academy at an estimated expenditure of Rs 200 crore
► Minority welfare Initiatives: 25 new post-matric hostels and 10 CBSE residential schools
► Modernising and enhancing policing in the State
► Rs 10 crore allocated for the first phase of the State’s Quantum Road Map implementation
► Havyaka Bhasha Academy to be launched.
► An AI-based facial recognition attendance system will be implemented in all Anganwadis, schools, colleges, and hostels
► Mysuru to be developed as second IT city: CM.
► U.R. Ananthamurthy Study Centre to be set up in Shivamogga. Na. D’Souza’s play ‘Kolaga’, based on peasant movement in district, to be staged across state.
► Haj Bhavans to be built in Hubballi and Kalaburagi.
► Government to set up Buddhism Development Board; to allocate Rs 50 crore for the development of Christian schools.
► Up to 4,000 electric buses to be purchased
► The dilapidated gates of the Tungabhadra dam to be replaced with 33 new gates before onset of monsoon.
► Government to implement strategic plan to eliminate man-animal conflict with an outlay of Rs 1500 crore in next five years.
► Government to work on development of tourism in coastal districts; ropeway to be installed from Mullaiyanagiri to Sithalayyanagiri in Kaimara.
► Mangaluru fisheries college to receive a centre of excellence
► Buddhist monks to get monthly salary of Rs 6,000
► Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru to be renamed as 'Shantaveri Gopalagowda Hospital'
► Basavanna Biological Park to be built on 153 acres of land at Madappanahalli in Bengaluru
► Flight training school to be started at Vijayapura and Shivamogga airports
► Vacancy of 2,000 posts in the Forest Department to be filled.
► A leopard relocation center to be set up in Bannerghatta at a cost of Rs 5 crore to rehabilitate leopards captured in residential areas on Bengaluru outskirts
► Government to implement strategic plan to eliminate man-animal conflict with an outlay of Rs 1500 crore in next five years
► AI-based education facility to be provided from Class 1 to 12.
► Proposal to be sent to Reserve Bank for opening of DCC banks in all districts with support of NABARD.
► ORRCA to sponsor 9-km pedestrian walkway along ORR metro.
► Stadium with seating capacity of 8,000 to host international sport events to be constructed in Anekal taluk.
► RMP 2041 for Bengaluru to be rolled out by end of 2027.
► Mathru Poorna - ‘hot cooked meals’ for mothers - to make a comeback.
► Rs 44,632 crore allocated for Karnataka’s Scheduled Castes and Tribal Sub-Plans
► Udupi, Shivamogga and Dakshina Kannada districts to get special task forces to prevent communal riots.
► Work on 18.73 km canal under Yettinahole Phase 2 project to be completed soon.
► New welfare schemes for minority communities announced.
► 1,668 Anganwadi buildings to be constructed across all districts of Kalyana Karnataka region.
► Funds of Rs 28,608 crore to be allocated for Gruha Lakshmi scheme; Rs 5,300 crore for Shakti scheme.
► Drip irrigation facility to be provided to 2 lakh farmers; agricultural machinery to be given to 3 lakh farmers.
► 11.7 lakh children diagnosed with anaemia to receive free treatment
► Government to Fully Digitalise APMC Operations Soon: CM
► The Mukhyamantri Krishi Vistara Yojane will be launched for benefit of farmers at a cost of Rs 100 crore in the next three years.
► Millet hubs will be opened to promote cultivation of millets.
► State will open AI-supported call centres to provide agriculture-related information
► Sixty-two (62) ‘Shramika Vasathi’ schools will be opened for the benefit of children of manual workers. Also, government will implement ‘Kayaka Bhagya Yojane’ for unorganized workers.
► State will provide subsidy of Rs 10 lakh at 4 per cent interest rate to members of Savitha Samaja to open saloons.
► Panels will be formed for the development of Kollur Mookambika and Kukke Subrahmanya temples in coastal Karnataka.
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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
