Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Hours after taking oath as Karnataka’s Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar unveiled an ambitious six-point welfare and development agenda, promising free bus passes for students, a state-backed private employment exchange, youth empowerment initiatives and major infrastructure spending as he sought to usher in what he described as a new “Youth Era” in the state.
Chairing his first Cabinet meeting immediately after assuming office, Shivakumar announced a series of measures aimed at students, job seekers, farmers, homeowners and urban residents, saying his government was committed to delivering on promises through concrete action.
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“In the first Cabinet meeting, we decided to give the people a new gift – a Youth Era,” Shivakumar said while addressing a press conference after the meeting. “It is not just about making promises; they must be implemented.”
FREE BUS PASSES FOR ALL STUDENTS
The headline announcement was the extension of free travel benefits to students across Karnataka. “The first decision taken by our Cabinet is to issue free bus passes to students,” Shivakumar said. “Whenever I visited different regions, boys would ask me why free travel had been provided only to girls. We have now decided to distribute free bus passes to students.”
The facility will be available on non-luxury government buses, with students required to apply for the passes.
When asked about the financial burden of the scheme, the Chief Minister dismissed concerns.
“Students are our children. We will provide however many thousands of crores it takes for their free travel,” he said.
PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE TO TACKEL UNEMPLOYMENT
In another significant move, the government announced plans to establish a state-supported employment exchange system to connect job seekers with private-sector opportunities.
Shivakumar said the government was also moving ahead with recruitment for 56,000 government posts, with a schedule for appointments to be released soon.
“To address unemployment, the government itself will provide an employment exchange facility for those seeking private-sector jobs,” he said, adding that Kannadigas would receive a greater share of opportunities under the proposed framework.
The structure of the employment exchange is expected to be finalised within a month.
10,000 YOUTH ASSOCIATIONS TO BE FORMED
Calling it his “dream project”, Shivakumar announced the creation of 10,000 youth associations across Karnataka under the banner of “Bharat Jodo” youth clubs.
The associations will be formed at the panchayat level in rural areas and ward level in urban centres. Each club will have 150 to 200 members and receive a government grant of Rs 10 lakh.
“A platform will be provided for sports, cultural activities, leadership development, social harmony and showcasing youth talent,” the Chief Minister said.
Asked about the substantial financial outlay, estimated at around Rs 1,000 crore, Shivakumar responded confidently: “This is D K Shivakumar’s government.”
RELIEF FOR HOMEOWNERS
The government also announced a one-time measure aimed at addressing long-standing issues surrounding Occupancy Certificates (OC) and Completion Certificates (CC).
Shivakumar said homeowners who applied before the end of last month and whose properties have deviations of up to 20 per cent in plots measuring up to 2,500 square feet would be given relief under the proposed framework.
The government additionally decided to extend the conversion of B Khata properties to A Khata status across Karnataka.
“We are moving to provide proper records for people’s property,” he said.
Rs 2,000 CRORE FOR BENGALURU ROADS
Focusing on the state capital, the Chief Minister announced a Rs 2,000-crore grant for asphalting roads across Bengaluru.
The funding will cover roads not already included in existing infrastructure projects, with the government targeting completion of the work within three to four months.
“It has been decided to grant Rs 2,000 crore for asphalting all roads in Bengaluru city. We aim to complete the work within three to four months,” Shivakumar said.
FARMERS REMAIN A PRIORITY
While the Cabinet did not announce a specific scheme for farmers, Shivakumar said the government would soon launch a dedicated programme after consulting experts.
“The state’s farmers are our backbone,” he said. “Resolving farmers’ problems is our priority. We must prevent migration from villages to cities for jobs and education and change the narrow mindset towards agriculture, horticulture and dairy farming.”
The announcements mark the first major policy decisions of the Shivakumar government and signal a strong focus on youth welfare, employment generation and urban infrastructure as the new administration settles into office.
– Ends
With inputs from PTI
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
