Karnataka Budget 2026 CM Siddaramaiah Unveils Major Education & Welfare Push for Minorities:

In a landmark ₹4.48 lakh crore state budget presented on Friday, March 6, 2026, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a comprehensive suite of initiatives aimed at the educational and economic empowerment of minority communities. Marking his record 17th budget, the Chief Minister emphasized a strategy that balances massive infrastructure growth with deep-rooted social welfare.

The following are the key highlights from the budget specifically tailored for the minority sector:

1. Revolutionizing Minority Education

The government has prioritized high-quality education and modern infrastructure for minority students.

Karnataka Public School Upgrades: 117 Maulana Azad Model Schools and Urdu schools will be upgraded to "Karnataka Public Schools" with an investment of ₹600 crore. An additional 100 schools will follow at a cost of ₹400 crore.

Sant Shishunala Shariff Schools: Ten new residential schools following the CBSE curriculum will be established this year (₹10 crore allocated), with plans to add 25 more in 2026–27.

Higher Education Support: * 25 new post-matric hostels will be built, and the capacity of 25 existing hostels will be increased by 50 students each.

4 Centres of Excellence will be established to provide specialized coaching for K-CET, JEE, and NEET to meritorious minority students.

Laptops for Students: 5,000 meritorious students from economically weaker sections will receive ₹50,000 each to purchase laptops.

2. Economic Empowerment & Entrepreneurship

To tackle unemployment and promote self-reliance, the budget introduces innovative subsidy schemes.

Mobile Food Ventures: Unemployed minority youth can receive a 75% subsidy (up to ₹3 lakh) to start mobile food businesses, such as food trucks or kitchen trailers.

Waqf Property Development: High-demand Waqf properties will be developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to maximize revenue and asset utility.

Women’s Empowerment: New Minority Women Co-operative Societies will be formed to support self-employment among women’s self-help groups.

3. Community Welfare & Infrastructure

Beyond education and jobs, the budget addresses social security and religious infrastructure.

Community Grants: ₹100 crore has been earmarked for the comprehensive development of the Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh communities.

Buddhist Honorarium: Buddhist Dhammacharis will now receive a monthly honorarium of ₹6,000.

Haj Bhavans: New Haj Bhavans will be constructed in Hubballi and Kalaburagi to facilitate pilgrims and their families.

Elderly & Destitute Care: Two new old-age homes for women (capacity 100 each) will be established for destitute persons from minority communities.