Karnataka Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah on Friday presented his 16th state budget for 2025-26 in the assembly, refurbishing Brand Bengaluru is one of the key focus areas.

The Chief Minister also listed out a slew of measures aimed at all round development and growth of Karnataka and welfare measures for SCs, STs, backward classes and minorities.

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Brushing aside suggestions for taking a cautious view of guarantee schemes from the opposition, and a section within the party, Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio reiterated his commitment on the five guarantees, women empowerment and thrust on SC, ST and minority welfare, and played big on infrastructure building with specific allocations.

With significant allocations and specific programmes aimed at minority welfare, Siddaramaiah has also invited sharp criticism from the opposition BJP that declared it a ‘Muslim League Budget’, vehemently countered by the Congress that said it was a progressive, pragmatic, growth-oriented budget which had something for everyone, and for every section of the population.

But for sure, the allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for minority welfare, Rs 100 crore for Urdu Schools and allocation of Rs 150 crore for protection of Wakf Board properties has touched a raw nerve of the BJP legislators, who have hit out against the Congress government saying that once again the Congress was dividing people with its actions.

Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka claimed that this is the “last Budget” of CM Siddaramaiah as he is the “outgoing Chief Minister”. He accused the government of not working on development from the past two years, and this year too the Congress expects that few announcements they make will bring development in the state.

Something that clearly the Chief Minister believes is patently wrong with this assessment.

Presenting the budget, Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah said, the budget is focused on sustainable economic growth while ensuring fiscal consolidation.

“By prioritizing key sectors such as infrastructure, irrigation, and social welfare, we are laying the foundation for long-term prosperity. The fiscal discipline we have outlined will ensure stability and strengthen the financial position of the State and the budget will foster growth and also secure a strong fiscal health of the state,” the Chief Minister said.

“This budget reaffirms our commitment to fulfil the dreams of every citizen of the State, creating hopes for tomorrow, and honouring our promise to ‘Walk the Talk’. It embodies Mahatma Gandhi’s vision that the welfare of all is achievable through a sustainable and just economy and showcases the Government’s dedication to social and economic equality,” Siddarmaiah said opening his budget presentation speech.

“This budget is not merely a lifeless exercise of adding and subtracting numbers. I stand here with the utmost understanding that I carry a huge responsibility of putting forward our promises made to the seven-crore people of the State, breathing the hopes of a better life, he said as he went ahead to present the numbers – allocations and announcements of various projects to be taken up in the new financial year 2025-26.

With a total outlay of Rs 4,08, 647 crore, this is the largest budget he has presented so far, which is also one that has a deficit of Rs 19,000 crore. Revenue expenditure stands at Rs 3 lakh crore and capital expenditure at Rs 71,000 crore, makes this exercise one aimed at boosting infrastructure building, especially in Bengaluru city with an additional grant of Rs 4,000 crore, taking the total to Rs 7,000 crore and another allocation of Rs 1,800 crore for building Brand Bengaluru.

Consider what all is planned for the capital city of the state: Out of a total outlay of Rs 40,000, a sum of Rs 19,000 crore has been allocated in the budget for the FY 2025-26 for tunnel roads, and another ambitious 40.5 km long double-decker flyover to decongest traffic has been planned at a cost of Rs 8,916 crore along with a proposal for 120 km of flyovers and grade separators.

The city’s long-pending Peripheral Ring Road project is also set to receive Rs 27,000 crore through a HUDCO bank loan. Additionally, under the Bengaluru Safe City project, Rs 667 crore has been allocated, with 7,500 cameras installed across the city.

But, it is not just Brand Bengaluru that has received the attention of the Chief Minister. He said that this year budget focused on implementing programmes across six key developmental dimensions – which include people oriented initiatives for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, Minorities, Women, Farmers, and Labourers –, agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, to drive holistic development of the state.

Our funding for capital expenditure – which has seen a 47.3 percent increase highlighting our development oriented approach, the Chief Minister said.

The minority welfare programmes, including Rs 500 crore programme for classes from pre-primary to PU in 250 Moulana Azad Model English Medium schools, for this Rs 100 crore has been allocated this year.

A sum of Rs 1,000 crore allocated for ‘Chief Minister’s Minority Colony Development Programme’., Minority youth will be encouraged to launch new start-ups through Karnataka Minority Development Corporation, Rs 150 crore allocated for repair and renovation of Waqf properties and for providing infrastructure and protection of Muslim burial grounds, self defence skills training programme for 25,000 girl students run by directorate of minorities.

But for other minorities like Jain, Buddhist and Sikh communities too the government has earmarked grants worth Rs 100 crore and another Rs 250 crore provided to development of the Christian community.