Karnataka Budget 2025 Highlights
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented his 16th Budget on Friday. A total of ₹4.095 lakh crore was allotted for the Karnataka Budget 2025-26.
The Karnataka Budget 2025 allocated ₹51,034 crore for the five guarantee schemes promised by the Congress government in the state. Here are top highlights from the Karnataka Budget 2025-26:
1. It allocated ₹82,000 crore for capital investment. “This makes Karnataka one of the highest capital investment making states,” said
2. Liquor prices are likely to be reviewed and increased to match rates in neighboring states.
3. A 4% reservation for Muslims introduced in government tenders and contracts.
4. Grants worth ₹100 crore earmarked for the Comprehensive development of Jain, Buddhist and Sikh communities. ₹250 crore to be provided for the development of Christian community. A Sannati Development Authority to be established in the ancient Buddhist center of Sannati in Chittapura taluka of Kalaburgi district.
5. Annual salary of temple priests increased from ₹60,000 to ₹72,000. The honorarium given to Jain priests, Chief Grantis of Sikhs and Pesh-Imams of mosques will be enhanced to ₹6,000 per month. The honorarium given to Assistant Granti and Muezzin has been increased to ₹5,000 per month.
The government also announced construction of an additional building in Haj Bhavan at Bengaluru to provide with facilities and amenities to Haj pilgrims and their relatives.
6. State to float own OTT to help develop Kannada language programs.
7. For women-centric programs, ₹94,084 crore allocated.
8. For children-centric programs, ₹62,033 crore provided. National Foreign Student Scholarship amount given to the minority students will be enhanced from ₹20 lakh to Rs.30 lakh.
9. Minority youth will be encouraged to launch new start-ups through the Karnataka Minority Development Corporation. Rs. 150 crores has been provided for repairing and renovating Waqf properties, providing infrastructure, and protecting Muslim burial grounds.
10. CM Siddaramaiah announced that multiplexes across Karnataka will now have a maximum ticket price cap of ₹200. “The cost of the ticket of each show in all theatres of the state including multiplexes will be capped at ₹200,” the Budget document stated.
11. Monthly pension for journalists facing hardship will be increased from Rs. 12,000/- to Rs. 15,000/- and family pension from ₹6,000/- to Rs.7,500/-.