On Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah unveiled his 16th Budget, with a total allocation of ₹4.095 lakh crore for the Karnataka Budget 2025-26.
The Karnataka Budget dedicated ₹51,034 crore for the five guarantee schemes that the Congress government promised in the state. Here are the key highlights from the Karnataka Budget 2025-26:
1. An allocation of ₹82,000 crore has been made for capital investment. “This positions Karnataka as one of the leading states in terms of capital investment,” remarked
2. The prices of liquor are expected to be reviewed and increased to align with those in neighboring states.
3. A 4% reservation for Muslims has been introduced in government tenders and contracts.
4. Grants totaling ₹100 crore have been allocated for the comprehensive development of the Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh communities. Additionally, ₹250 crore will be allocated for the development of the Christian community. A Sannati Development Authority will be established in the ancient Buddhist site of Sannati in Chittapura taluka of Kalaburgi district.
5. The annual salary of temple priests has been raised from ₹60,000 to ₹72,000. The honorarium for Jain priests, Chief Grantis of Sikhs, and Pesh-Imams of mosques will increase to ₹6,000 per month. The honorarium for Assistant Granti and Muezzin has been lifted to ₹5,000 per month.
The government also announced the construction of an additional building at Haj Bhavan in Bengaluru to provide better facilities and amenities for Haj pilgrims and their families.
6. The state plans to launch its own OTT (Over-the-Top) platform to promote the development of Kannada language programs.
7. For women-oriented programs, ₹94,084 crore has been allocated.
8. An allocation of ₹62,033 crore is earmarked for child-focused programs. The National Foreign Student Scholarship amount for minority students will be increased from ₹20 lakh to ₹30 lakh.
9. The Karnataka Minority Development Corporation will encourage minority youth to start new businesses. ₹150 crore has been allocated for the repair and renovation of Waqf properties, infrastructure development, and the protection of Muslim burial grounds.
10. CM Siddaramaiah announced that multiplexes across Karnataka will now have a maximum ticket price of ₹200. “The ticket price for each show in all theatres across the state, including multiplexes, will be capped at ₹200,” as stated in the Budget document.
11. The monthly pension for journalists facing financial difficulties will be increased from ₹12,000 to ₹15,000, while the family pension will rise from ₹6,000 to ₹7,500.
