Karnataka
Sarkar Promises

Karnataka passed the BBMP Act 2020 amendment in 2024 to regularise Pourakarmikas. Out of approximately 25,000 BBMP sanitation workers, 18,400 have been regularised with full government employee benefits including PF, ESI, medical, and gratuity. The remaining ~6,600 on outsourced contracts are in the process of regularisation.

BBMP regularised Pourakarmikas now receive a hazardous work allowance of ₹1,500/month and group insurance cover of ₹10 lakh per worker under the Karnataka Building & Construction Workers Welfare Board scheme extended to sanitation workers. ESI (Employees' State Insurance) coverage has been extended to all BBMP Pourakarmikas.

The Karnataka Auto Rickshaw and Taxi Drivers' Welfare Board was reconstituted in 2023 with ₹50 crore each as seed fund. Benefits include ₹2 lakh accident insurance, ₹500/month disability pension, and ₹25,000 one-time assistance for vehicle repair. As of 2024, 3.8 lakh auto and taxi drivers have registered with the respective boards.

Karnataka identified 1.2 lakh street vendors through city-level surveys in 2023–24 and issued vending certificates. Hawker zones have been developed in 22 of 30 district headquarters with dedicated vending spaces. Under PM SVANidhi + state top-up, vendors received ₹20,000 one-time assistance. 48,000 vendors received the grant in 2024.

The Sharavana Kumara Senior Citizens Welfare Fund was constituted in 2024 with an initial corpus of ₹300 crore, targeting ₹1,000 crore over 5 years. Benefits include free healthcare at government hospitals, pilgrim travel subsidies, age-care centres at taluk level, and monthly pension top-ups for BPL senior citizens.

The free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens above 60 was operationalised in 2024. Karnataka offers subsidised tours to Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya, Udupi, Sringeri, and 11 other sites within the state, and Varanasi, Tirupati, Amritsar, Shirdi, and 6 others outside. In 2024, 42,000 senior citizens availed the scheme through district welfare offices.

Karnataka increased the Kashi Yatra subsidy from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 per pilgrim and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra assistance to ₹1 lakh per pilgrim in 2023. The Mathura-Vrindavan pilgrimage subsidy was set at ₹5,000. In 2024, 18,200 pilgrims from Karnataka benefited from the enhanced pilgrimage support.

The Karnataka Differently Abled and Senior Citizens Empowerment Department provides ₹3 lakh interest-free loans to disabled women for self-employment through the Karnataka State Handicapped Persons Welfare Corporation. In 2024, 4,200 disabled women availed the scheme for tailoring, food processing, beauty services, and other businesses.

The Vidhya Deepa Nidhi scholarship fund for disabled youth was operationalised with an initial corpus of ₹25 crore in 2024, targeting ₹50 crore. Scholarships of up to ₹5 lakh for domestic and ₹15 lakh for foreign higher education are available to disabled students. In 2024, 820 disabled students received scholarships.

The Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa Ex-Servicemen Development Board was reconstituted in 2024 with enhanced powers and an allocation of ₹120 crore (first tranche of ₹500 crore). Loans up to ₹10 lakh at 5% interest for self-employment and business are disbursed through the Karnataka Sainik Welfare Board. 2,800 ex-servicemen availed loans in 2024.

The Karnataka government passed a resolution in the legislative assembly in 2023 urging the Central Government to implement OROP more equitably. CM DK Shivakumar wrote to the Union Defence Minister in 2024 requesting revision of OROP arrears and pension equalisation for Karnataka ex-servicemen. This is a Central subject — Karnataka's push is in the form of advocacy.

The Karnataka Journalist Welfare Board was strengthened in 2024 with an enhanced allocation. The initial journalist welfare fund corpus stands at ₹85 crore in 2024–25 — working toward the ₹500 crore target. Benefits include ₹2 lakh accidental insurance, ₹5,000/month pension for senior journalists, and health card access at government hospitals.

The Karnataka NRI Investment Revolving Fund was operationalised with ₹250 crore in 2024–25 — first tranche of the ₹1,000 crore target. The fund provides seed loans at 6% for NRI-promoted businesses in Karnataka. The NRI Karnataka Conclave 2024 in Bengaluru attracted investment pledges of ₹8,400 crore from diaspora entrepreneurs.

The Bharat Ratna CNR Rao Science Fund for basic research was allocated ₹120 crore in 2024–25 as the first tranche of the ₹500 crore target. Grants are disbursed through the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST). In 2024, 280 basic research projects at state universities received funding averaging ₹42 lakh each.

Karnataka passed the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Act, 2024 mandating 50% Kannadiga reservation in non-management private jobs. The bill (often called the 'Kannada jobs bill') was withdrawn after pushback from the IT industry; a revised version mandating 70% local candidates in non-technical roles is under review.

The Karnataka Youth Commission was reconstituted in 2024 with representatives from sports, arts, education, and entrepreneurship. The commission advises on youth policy and monitors the implementation of Yuvanidhi and skill development schemes. Karnataka's Youth Policy 2023–28 was released by the commission in August 2024.

Karnataka's sports budget was increased to ₹1,480 crore in 2024–25, up from ₹980 crore in 2023–24. On track toward ₹2,000 crore. Key investments include the Kanteerava Stadium renovation, district sports complexes in all 31 districts, and the Khelo India grants. Karnataka athletes won 42 medals at national championships in 2024.

The Karnataka Sports University at Mysuru has been formally established by Act and the campus is under construction at Chamundi Vihar in Mysuru. Phase 1 — academic block and sports facilities — is expected to be ready by December 2025. The first academic session is planned for 2026. Budget: ₹480 crore for Phase 1.

Karnataka's Talent Identification Programme (TIP), in partnership with SAI (Sports Authority of India), identified 820 young sports talents in 2024 across athletics, wrestling, boxing, badminton, and kabaddi. Each talent receives ₹12,000/month stipend, coaching, nutrition support, and equipment. Target of 1,000/year to be fully met by 2025.

Karnataka's Kannada Development Authority received ₹200 crore in 2024–25 for Kannada promotion in border taluks. Programmes include Kannada-medium schools in border taluks of Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana. 142 Kannada schools in border areas received infrastructure grants in 2024.

The Kuvempu Sahitya Puraskara Abhiyana is administered by the Karnataka Sahitya Parishad. In 2023–24, 480 young authors and poets below 35 years received ₹25,000 awards for their debut works in Kannada literature. The scheme distributes awards across all literary genres including poetry, fiction, drama, and essays.

The Aluru Venkata Rao Digital Kannada Fund of ₹100 crore has been operationalised for digitising Kannada content. Initiatives include Kannada Wikipedia expansion (now 30,000+ articles), Kannada keyboard and voice recognition tools, Kannada OCR development, and funding of Kannada YouTube content creators. 1,200 digital Kannada content creators received grants.

Kuppalli in Shivamogga district, the birthplace of Kuvempu, is being developed as an eco-cultural tourism destination with a ₹100 crore budget. Phase 1 (₹42 crore) includes the Kuvempu Memorial Museum expansion, nature trails, eco-cottages, and a Kannada literary park. Work is 60% complete as of early 2025.

Karnataka and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) signed an MoU in 2024 to jointly maintain monuments. The Thayi Bhuvaneshwari Monuments Fund allocated ₹120 crore in 2024–25 for conservation of Hampi (UNESCO), Badami caves, Pattadakal, Belur-Halebidu temples, and Bidar fort. Karnataka has 507 ASI-protected monuments.

Karnataka enhanced grants to minority language academies in 2024: Tulu Sahitya Academy, Konkani Sahitya Academy, Urdu Academy, and Kodava Samskruthi Academy each received ₹5–10 crore in additional grants. Tulu is being promoted for inclusion in the 8th Schedule (Central subject). Byari language was included in the Karnataka school curriculum for coastal districts.

The Karnataka Yakshagana Academy was reconstituted with enhanced powers in 2023 and received ₹22 crore in grants for 2024–25 — close to the ₹25 crore target. Grants support 140+ Yakshagana troupes, costume preservation, school programmes, and the annual Yakshagana festivals in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Uttara Kannada.

Karnataka provides monthly honorariums under the economic security scheme: ₹10,000/month to senior Yakshagana artists, ₹5,000/month to folk drama and music artists, and ₹3,000/month to Dhaivaradhane (temple ritual) performers above 60. In 2024, 4,800 folk artists receive regular honorariums through the Karnataka Rajyotsava Prashashthi trust.

The Shivaram Karantha Sahitya Nidhi for school-level Kannada creative writing was established with ₹40 crore in 2024–25. The fund supports essay, poetry, and short-story competitions for Classes 8–12 with cash prizes of ₹10,000–₹50,000. In 2024, 22,000 students participated in state-level Kannada writing competitions.

The Da Ra Bendre Kannada Scholarship fund is operational with disbursements in 2024: ₹1 lakh to 48 PhD scholars and ₹25,000 to 320 PG students in Kannada literature at state universities. The fund is administered through the Karnataka Sahitya Parishad in partnership with university departments of Kannada studies.

The Karnataka government doubled award amounts in 2023: Rajyotsava Prashasthi from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh, Pampa Award from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh, Kannada Sahitya Academy awards from ₹20,000 to ₹40,000. A total of ₹28 crore was distributed in Rajyotsava awards to 280 awardees in November 2023.

Literary study Peethas (centres) for Kanakadasa, Basavanna, and DVG have been established in 3 universities. Kanakadasa Adhyayana Peetha at Mangalore University, Basavanna Peetha at Dharwad University, and DVG Peetha at Bengaluru Central University were operationalised in 2024. Peethas for Pampa, Kumaravyasa, and Sarvagna are in the approval stage.

Hampi (Kannada) University's annual grant was increased from ₹48 crore to ₹75 crore in 2024–25. New academic programmes in Kannada diaspora studies, digital humanities, and inscriptional studies were launched. The university's research wing received a dedicated ₹12 crore grant for Kannada manuscript digitisation.

The Shasana Samshodhana Nidhi for inscription research was allocated ₹28 crore in 2024–25. The Directorate of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage launched a state-wide inscriptions digitisation drive — over 4,200 stone inscriptions across Karnataka have been photographed, transcribed, and uploaded to the digital Shasana Kosh database.

The Subbiah Naidu Kalabhivruddhi Nidhi was constituted with an initial corpus of ₹120 crore for folk arts and traditional sports revival. In 2024, 180 folk art troupes (Dollu Kunitha, Kamsale, Somana Kunitha, etc.) received equipment and costume grants. Traditional sports including Kambala (buffalo race), Kabaddi, and Gilli-Danda received infrastructure support.

The C. Ashwath Music Fellowship Fund, named after the legendary Kannada composer, was operationalised in 2024 with ₹15 crore as the first tranche. Fellowships of ₹2 lakh/year are awarded to 75 young Kannada singers and lyricists annually. A dedicated C. Ashwath Music Academy in Bengaluru is under planning with ₹25 crore budget.

The Gangubai Hanagal Kalagaara Samman scheme provides ₹10,000/month honorarium to senior folk and classical performing artists above 60. In 2024, 1,840 artists across Karnataka received the monthly honorarium — including Carnatic musicians, Yakshagana artists, Veeragase dancers, and Lambani folk performers.

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed a resolution in 2024 urging the Union Government to include Tulu in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. The Tulu Sahitya Academy's annual grant was doubled to ₹6 crore. A Tulu Vishwakosha (encyclopaedia) project and digital archiving of Tulu oral literature is underway.

The Karnataka government disbursed ₹1 crore to the Kodava Samskruthi Academy in 2024 for documenting and promoting Kodava language, music, cuisine, and martial art traditions. Additionally, the Kail Podh (harvest festival) and Puttari celebration were designated as state cultural events with government support of ₹50 lakh annually.

The Karnataka Muzrai (Hindu Religious Endowments) Department's budget was increased to ₹850 crore in 2024–25, up from ₹620 crore. A dedicated Pooja Nidhi of ₹200 crore was created for ritual needs of temples under Muzrai control. Monthly grants to small rural temples under Muzrai were doubled from ₹3,000 to ₹6,000.

The Dharmika Nidhi for temple and Matha renovation was allocated ₹250 crore in 2024–25 as the first annual tranche of the ₹1,000 crore 5-year fund. Over 3,200 temples under Muzrai control received renovation grants in 2023–24. Priority was given to temples in rural areas and those with heritage value.

The Archaka Gowrava Nidhi provides ₹5,000/month honorarium to priests/religious leaders above 60 years across all religions. In 2024, 12,400 temple priests, 820 Imams and Maulvis in mosques, and 480 pastors in rural churches receive the monthly honorarium through direct bank transfer.

Monthly allowances to small rural temples under Muzrai control were increased to ₹5,000/month in 2023. Additionally, 12,800 Grama Devata temples (village deity shrines) were registered under the Muzrai Department in 2024 for the first time, making them eligible for state grants. A total of ₹180 crore was disbursed to rural temples in 2024.

Village-level Grama Devatha festivals and Theru Habba (chariot procession) celebrations received ₹20,000 grants per event from the Karnataka government starting 2023–24. In 2024, over 8,400 village festivals were supported across Karnataka. Grants are disbursed through Gram Panchayats in coordination with the Muzrai Department.

Karnataka's 2024–25 budget allocated ₹5,200 crore for Kalyana Karnataka region (Kalaburagi, Bidar, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Vijayanagara) under the KKRDB mandate — exceeding the ₹5,000 crore annual target. Funds cover roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, and irrigation. The KKRDB (Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board) has a 3% budget surcharge earmarked from state tax revenues.

Following the August 2024 Tungabhadra dam crest gate collapse, Karnataka released ₹900 crore emergency package for dam repairs and partial desilting. A technical committee report estimated full desilting costs at ₹5,000 crore. As of 2025, emergency repairs are complete and partial desilting of the western bay is underway, recovering approximately 5 TMC storage capacity.

Karnataka implemented the ₹21 crore Gram Panchayat Development Package through three components: ₹15 crore from state, ₹4 crore from 15th Finance Commission, and ₹2 crore from MGNREGS. As of 2024, 5,100 of 6,021 Gram Panchayats have received first-year funds. The package targets roads, drains, drinking water and community infrastructure.

Of the 41 Kalyana Karnataka assembly constituencies, 68 new PUC colleges and 18 Women's First Grade Colleges have been approved, with 52 PUC colleges operational as of 2025. Budget 2024–25 allocated ₹280 crore for the new colleges. The government also recruited 1,200 new PU lecturers for the Kalyana Karnataka region.

Karnataka issued special Government Orders in 2023 to fill Kalyana Karnataka backlog vacancies on priority, with 3% surcharge on KPSC examination fees reserved for KK region. As of 2024, 8,400 posts (teachers, health workers, police) were filled in the Kalyana Karnataka region. Approximately 4,200 backlog posts still remain unfilled.

Karnataka approved construction of 24 Mother & Child Hospitals and 18 Trauma Centres in Kalyana Karnataka in 2024. As of 2025, 8 Mother & Child hospitals are operational and 16 are under construction. Budget outlay: ₹1,800 crore. Priority is districts like Raichur, Yadgir, and Bidar which have the highest infant mortality rates.

Karnataka has constructed 1,820 new classrooms in Kalyana Karnataka schools under the Samagra Shiksha scheme and KKRDB funds as of 2025. Additionally, 4,200 teacher posts were filled in the region in 2024. The target of 2,500 classrooms is expected to be completed by March 2026.

The Kalaburagi-Raichur-Bellary NH-50 expansion to 6 lanes under the Suvarna Heddari project was awarded to an NHAI concessionaire in 2024. The 240 km stretch at a cost of ₹4,200 crore is under construction, with 35% work complete as of early 2025. The project is funded under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase 1.

Karnataka provides ₹1 crore one-time infrastructure grant and ₹1 lakh/month operational subsidy to 142 Kannada-medium schools in Maharashtra's Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Bidar border regions. In 2024, 28 new Kannada schools received the ₹1 crore grant for the first time.

The Mahadayi Valley Development Corporation (MVDC) for the Kitturu Karnataka region (Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri) was constituted by GO in 2024 with ₹200 crore initial capital. The corporation is developing irrigation canals and lift irrigation schemes for the 13.42 TMC Mahadayi water allocated to Karnataka.

The 500-bed super-speciality hospitals for Kitturu Karnataka are at varying construction stages. Dharwad hospital (attached to KIMS Medical College) is 70% complete. Vijayapura hospital foundation was laid in 2024. Karwar and Bagalkot hospitals have DPR approval with tenders awarded. Total budget: ₹2,200 crore.

Karnataka set up 28 Pulses Procurement Centres (one per district) under the Price Support Scheme in 2024. NAFED-Karnataka procured 1.8 lakh MT of tur dal, moong, and gram at MSP in 2023–24 through these centres. Total MSP disbursement to pulse farmers: ₹620 crore.