Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced a clutch of first-day Cabinet decisions on Wednesday night, shortly after taking oath, with the new Congress government placing student welfare and Bengaluru’s infrastructure at the centre of its opening agenda.
The measures included free bus passes for students, a ₹2,000 crore allocation for road work in the state capital, a private-sector jobs initiative for Kannadigas, and relief for some property owners.
Shivakumar said the meeting was also intended to consider farmers’ concerns, but no decisions were taken on that front because consultations with experts and the state bureaucracy were still needed.
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Bengaluru: Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar says, "This is the youth era. Students were asking why there is a free bus just for girls. We are giving passes to all students - free bus pass without any charge. Bus pass is free for all school and college students. This is the first… pic.twitter.com/GV3D77hFwd
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2026
An agreeable journey from classroom to campus
Among the most visible announcements was free bus travel for students from school to post-graduation across Karnataka.
Shivakumar said students would need to apply for the passes so the government could identify beneficiaries, and he framed the move as an expansion of the state’s existing Shakti scheme, which currently offers free bus travel for women.
He also said the benefit would be implemented despite financial implications. “We have decided that all students, whoever it may be, right from school to post-graduation, will get free bus passes,” he said.
VIDEO | Bengaluru: "We will issue free bus pass to all students," says Karnataka CM Shivakumar.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 3, 2026
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7)#Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/yH0WxjgD9U
A fresh coat of tar for the garden city
Bengaluru received the other major push of the day.
The Cabinet approved ₹2,000 crore for road development projects under the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Bengaluru Development Authority, with Shivakumar saying the asphalting of roads in the city would be completed in three to four months.
The Financial Express report said the package was meant to address Bengaluru’s long-running traffic and infrastructure problems. The allocation covered road works in the city, excluding those already under existing projects.
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Employment, enterprise and a touch of civic housekeeping
The government also announced a private-sector employment programme for Kannadigas, saying it would work with industry before finalising the framework and fixing a share of jobs for locals.
In addition, the Cabinet approved 10,000 “Bharat Jodo Youth Clubs” across the state, each backed by a ₹10 lakh grant, and moved to ease rules for some urban property owners by extending B Khata to A Khata conversion across Karnataka and offering a one-time relaxation on occupancy certificates for smaller buildings.
Shivakumar said the youth club plan was meant to build leadership and social harmony, while the property measures were aimed at improving access to civic services and records.
