Siddaramaiah allocates Rs. 52,000 crore for implementing five guarantees
grants 45,000 crores for Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday presented Budget 2023 in the Karnataka Assembly and allocated a significant budget of Rs. 52,000 crore for the implementation of five key schemes promised by the Congress party during elections. Out of these schemes, the government has successfully rolled out the 'Shakti' and 'Gruha Jyothi' initiatives. The aim of these programs is to uplift the lives of the poor and provide them with essential resources and opportunities.
In particular, Siddaramaiah has allocated Rs. 45,000 crore exclusively for the development of Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka. This fund will be utilized for various projects such as the white topping of roads, road infrastructure enhancement, waste management systems, and the expansion of the Metro network. With the objective of improving traffic conditions and increasing Metro connectivity, an impressive sum of Rs. 30,000 crore has been allocated specifically for the Namma Metro project in Bengaluru.
The government has also announced a provision of Rs. 100 crore for the establishment and functioning of Indira canteens, which aim to provide affordable meals to the underprivileged sections of society. Additionally, in a commendable move, the government has introduced a life and accident insurance scheme worth Rs. 4 lakh for employees working in the e-commerce delivery sector, including those associated with platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, and Amazon.
In order to generate additional revenue for the state, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has increased the excise duty on Indian-made liquor by 20 percent. This includes a 10 percent hike in the excise duty on beer, raising it from 175 percent to 185 percent.
Addressing the opposition's criticism of the government's initiatives, Siddaramaiah emphasized the importance of understanding the positive impact these schemes have on the lives of the state's impoverished citizens. He urged critics not to demean the people's welfare programs by labeling them as "freebies."
Siddaramaiah also expressed his disappointment with the Union government, accusing it of withholding the rightful share of taxes and recommended funds that should have been allocated to Karnataka under the 15th finance commission. He highlighted the issue of the Union government not sharing cess and surcharge with the states, resulting in a significant reduction in the tax share received by state governments. Siddaramaiah estimated that approximately Rs 5.20 lakh crore has been withheld by the Union government through cess and surcharge.
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Mangaluru International Airport earns ACI Level 4 accreditation for customer experience
Mangaluru (Karnataka), Jul 26 (PTI): Mangaluru International Airport has earned the prestigious Level 4 accreditation in Airport Customer Experience from Airports Council International (ACI), positioning itself among a select group of global airports recognised for excellence in customer-centric service, officials said on Saturday.
The accreditation, awarded on July 16, 2025, is valid for one year and follows the airport’s attainment of Level 3 accreditation in February 2024, they said.
According to a statement from the airport spokesperson here, the ACI programme is the first global initiative dedicated to advancing customer experience management in the aviation sector.
According to ACI, Level 4 accreditation demonstrates a strong foundation of customer-focused practices and a readiness for the strategic, enterprise-wide transformation required to reach Level 5 — the highest level of the programme.
Over the past year, the airport has implemented several key initiatives including the launch of the Adani OneApp and Digi Yatra, deployment of AI-based surveillance systems, smart cleaning robots, improved flight information displays, and free Wi-Fi kiosks. These upgrades have not only enhanced operational efficiency but also improved the overall passenger experience, it stated.
The spokesperson for the airport said, “This Level 4 accreditation is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing a seamless and memorable journey for travellers. We remain committed to being a modern and efficient gateway for the region.”
The airport’s strategy, customer insights, digital innovation, and governance were among the factors evaluated for the accreditation.
