Free bus passes, jobs calendar: DK Shivakumar unveils welfare push on first day as Karnataka CM

Hours after taking oath as Karnataka’s chief minister on Wednesday, DK Shivakumar announced a series of welfare and governance initiatives focused on students, youth employment, infrastructure development and rural outreach.

The decisions were taken at the first cabinet meeting of the new government, shortly after Shivakumar was sworn in at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru along with 13 ministers.

Among the key announcements was the introduction of free bus passes for students. Shivakumar said all students would be eligible for free travel on non-luxury state-run buses, a move aimed at easing education-related expenses for families.

In a bid to tackle unemployment, the chief minister said the government would establish a private employment exchange to connect job seekers with opportunities in the private sector. The framework for the initiative is expected to be finalised within a month.

Shivakumar also promised an accelerated recruitment drive in government departments. He said the state had already announced 56,000 vacancies and that a recruitment calendar detailing notification dates and hiring schedules would be released after consultations with all departments ahead of the next cabinet meeting.

The government will also expand the issuance of A-Khata documents to unauthorised buildings across Karnataka. Additionally, Shivakumar announced the formation of 10,000 Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas to promote leadership development and social harmony among youth. Each gram panchayat and urban ward will have one such body comprising 150-200 members, with ₹10 lakh in financial support earmarked for each village-level unit.

The cabinet further approved a ₹2,000-crore package for road infrastructure projects in Bengaluru, covering areas under the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Bengaluru Development Authority.

Ministers inducted into the new cabinet

Along with Shivakumar, senior Congress leader G Parameshwara took oath as deputy chief minister. The other ministers inducted into the cabinet are Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Priyank Kharge, MB Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, KH Muniyappa, KJ George, Krishna Byre Gowda, Ramalinga Reddy, UT Khader, Eshwar Khandre, Byrathi Suresh and Dr Sharan Prakash Patil.

Shivakumar became Karnataka’s 34th chief minister after former chief minister Siddaramaiah stepped down on May 28 following directions from the Congress leadership. Shivakumar, who served as deputy chief minister in the previous government, was unanimously elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party on May 30. He had also been serving as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee since 2020.

Following his swearing-in, senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad was appointed the new president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.