Pramesh S Jain
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K.Shivakumar on Saturday announced a series of development,employment, agriculture and policing initiatives,including the establishment of the country’s first government-owned artificial intelligence university in Bengaluru,recruitment to 72,000 government vacancies and the division of the Bengaluru police commissionerate into five commissionerates.
Addressing the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Manekshaw Parade Ground,Shivakumar set a target of taking Karnataka’s economy to $3 trillion (around ₹320 lakh crore) by 2047,saying the state’s growth would be closely linked to India’s development.
Among the major announcements was the introduction of AI education from Class 6 in government schools.
The government will also launch the AI Akshara Abhiyana and Coding Gurukula,besides setting up AI hubs across the state.
The Chief Minister said a government-owned AI university would be established in Bengaluru,which he described as the first of its kind in the country.
72,000 government vacancies
On employment,Shivakumar announced the Chief Minister Employment Sankalpa scheme and said the process to fill 72,000 major vacant posts in the government sector had begun.
Notifications for filling the posts are expected to be issued within the next six months.
The government will also introduce the Udyoga Nidhi scheme to encourage industries to create jobs in 10 backward districts.
Employers will receive an incentive of Rs.2,500 per month for each new job,with a target of creating one lakh new jobs.
Five Bengaluru commissionerates :
In a major policing announcement,Shivakumar said steps were being taken to divide the Bengaluru City Police Commissionerate into five commissionerates.
He also announced the creation of an anti-rowdy force in Bengaluru,besides measures aimed at improving security and governance in the city.
The government will construct five major tree parks to help reduce pollution and improve Bengaluru’s green cover.
Seven major lakes,including Hesaraghatta,Bettadakote, Hoskote,Yele Mallappa Shetty,Bannerghatta,Bagalur and Byramangala,will also be developed for groundwater recharge and drinking-water security.
Rs.26,000-crore Bengaluru Business Corridor :
The Chief Minister said Bengaluru would see infrastructure projects worth ₹1.5 lakh crore.
A 117-km ring road under the Bengaluru Business Corridor, estimated to cost ₹26,000 crore,has been taken up.
The government also plans to introduce ring roads and mobility grids in towns and cities across Karnataka.
The Metro network is expected to expand to 220 km after completion of Phase 3,he said.
Focus on farmers:
Under the proposed Chief Minister Raitha Chaitanya scheme,drones and satellite imagery will be used for crop surveys and real-time agricultural information.
The Raitha Mitra scheme will provide a 50% subsidy on machinery rental charges to farmers owning three acres or less.
The Chief Minister said 12.35 lakh farmers had received ₹1,300 crore under crop insurance schemes,while 25 lakh farmers had registered for crop insurance.
Water security
Calling water security the government’s top priority, Shivakumar said 112 major water-resource projects worth ₹16,000 crore had been approved this year.
The first phase of the Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project is nearing completion and water is expected to reach Tumakuru district by November, he said.
He also announced that the government would take forward the Mekedatu project.
₹20,000-crore manufacturing cluster
An Advanced Manufacturing Cluster will be established at Doddaballapur, with investment commitments of around ₹20,000 crore and an expected employment potential of nearly one lakh jobs.
Under the Beyond Bengaluru initiative,global technology centres will be established in Kalaburagi,Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru and Mysuru.
Shivakumar said Karnataka had approved 945 investment proposals involving more than ₹134 lakh crore over the past three years.
Rural students to get professional education quota
Under the proposed Sahaya Hasta scheme,students who studied from Classes 1 to 10 in rural government schools will receive 7.5% reservation within the existing 15% rural quota for admission to professional courses, including medicine and engineering.
Motor vehicle insurance corporation:
The government will establish a Karnataka State Motor Vehicle Insurance Corporation to provide simpler insurance services to vehicle owners and ease the difficulties faced by ordinary families in obtaining compensation after road accidents.
Prajaseve Department :
A new Prajaseve Department has been established to address public grievances from the panchayat level to the state level.
District in-charge ministers will hold public interaction meetings on the first and third Saturdays of every month, while legislators will conduct public grievance meetings at the panchayat level.
Inclusive governance :
Shivakumar said social justice remained a key commitment of his government and stressed that a person’s caste or religion should not determine access to opportunities.
He said ₹44,631 crore had been allocated for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, while around ₹4,000 crore had been allocated to the Backward
Classes Welfare Department for 2026-27.
He also highlighted the government’s five guarantee schemes,saying they had strengthened social and economic security for families across Karnataka.
Earlier in the day,Shivakumar hoisted the national flag at his Sadashivanagar residence and called for maintaining peace,communal harmony and social cohesion,saying his government would take all sections of society together.
