Karnataka budget: CM Siddaramaiah announces Rohith Vemula Act, Haj Bhavans in Hubballi and Kalaburagi

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday tabled the 2026-27 State Budget, focusing on several developmental projects and new initiatives aimed at the overall growth of the state.

In his Budget speech, the Chief Minister announced that the Rohith Vemula Act will be enacted to prevent caste-based atrocities against students across all government, private and deemed universities. The Act is named after Rohith Vemula.

Siddaramaiah also announced the construction of a 450-bed multi-speciality hospital in Karwar for Rs 198 crore. In addition, a trauma care centre will be established in Raichur for Rs 10 crore, while Peripheral Cancer Centres will be set up in Mysuru and Tumakuru for Rs 92 crore.

The Chief Minister further stated that Haj Bhavans will be constructed in Hubballi and Kalaburagi for Haj pilgrims. He also said that Waqf properties located in high-demand commercial areas will be developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah presents the State Budget at the Vidhana Soudha.

(Source: Karnataka Assembly) pic.twitter.com/iPMV4OKAed

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2026

In another announcement, Siddaramaiah said that all Gram Panchayats in the state will be renamed as “Mahatma Gandhi Gram Panchayats.”

To decongest Kempegowda International Airport, the third-busiest airport in the country, the state government plans to develop a second airport in Bengaluru. A feasibility report will be prepared after obtaining technical advice from the Airports Authority of India.

The state government has already released Rs 1,593 crore for the development of seven domestic airports in Karnataka, while Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for the current year. A flight training school will be set up at Vijayapura Airport, and aircraft manufacturing and assembly activities will be undertaken in PPP mode at Shivamogga Airport.

In Tadadi, environment-friendly accommodation facilities, walking corridors, tourism information centres and other infrastructure will be developed under the PPP model.

The Chief Minister also said that nine railway routes are being implemented on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis with the Ministry of Railways. So far, Rs 2,950 crore has been spent on land acquisition and Rs 2,682 crore on construction works. For the 2026-27 Budget, Rs 600 crore has been earmarked for these railway projects.

In a major infrastructure push for Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah announced that the Outer Ring Road stretch from Silk Board Junction to KR Puram Metro Station will be developed into a global-standard corridor at an estimated cost of Rs 450 crore.

Additionally, infrastructure development works have been undertaken in five city corporations of Bengaluru at a total cost of Rs 1,255 crore. The government has also initiated white-topping work covering 158 km of roads for Rs 1,700 crore to improve road durability and traffic movement across the city.

Siddaramaiah further said that under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, around 182 crore person-days of employment have been generated, with wage payments amounting to Rs 61,000 crore, benefiting nearly 77 lakh rural households.

He also announced that student union elections will be conducted in colleges and universities across the state. Speaking about the Namma Metro project, the Chief Minister said that a total expenditure of Rs 67,460 crore has been incurred so far. Of this, the state government has contributed Rs 59,376 crore (88 per cent), while the Centre’s share stands at Rs 8,084 crore (12 per cent). (ANI)