Karnataka Budget 2026 | Amid social justice concerns, CM announces slew of schemes for core constituency

ST commission, Buddhist development corporation, one-time loan settlement among schemes announced by Siddaramaiah.

Bengaluru: At a time when the social justice credentials of the Congress government have come under the scanner, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sought to assuage his key constituency through a slew of Budgetary promises, including establishment of an ST commission and formation of a Buddhist Development Corporation.

Tabling his record-extending 17th Budget on Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: “With a view to safeguard the rights of Scheduled Tribes a separate Scheduled Tribes Commission will be established to hear their grievances and issues.”

A section of the Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and SC and STs) communities — traditional supporters of the Congress and Siddaramaiah — have opposed the decision to use funds under Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan/ Tribal Sub-Plan (SCSP/TSP) Act for guarantees, not accepting the Jayaprakash Hegde commission’s report on social and educational survey and not providing a separate 1% reservation to 59 nomadic, semi-nomadic and highly sensitive SC communities, not repealing the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022 (anti-conversion law).

The promise to constitute an ST commission comes months after Siddaramaiah committed on the floor of the Assembly in August, 2025, to form a permanent SC Commission. These commissions are along the lines of the backward classes commission.

The announcement to form a Buddhist Development Corporation has brought cheer to several Dalit organisations, who had urged the chief minister to form such a corporation to support converts to Buddhism, many of whom are Dalits.

Alongside, Rs.100 crore have been earmarked for the Comprehensive development of Jain, Buddhist and Sikh communities under the minorities welfare department.

While Rs 44,632 crore has been announced for the SCSP/TSP Act (Rs 31,804 for SCSP and Rs 12,828 Crore for TSP), concerns remain over the usage of these funds — meant for asset creation and capacity building — for general sector schemes like guarantees.

Another key announcement is the formation of a high-level committee headed by the CM to oversee implementation of backward classes programmes, employment and educational reservations.

Rs 1,500 crore will be earmarked for Social Welfare, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare corporations during the year 2026-27.

The chief minister has tried to pacify the nomadic communities by providing Rs 100 crore for the SC and ST nomadic and semi-nomadic development corporation. The Budget has also assured four special residential schools (one in each revenue division) for children from these communities.

In a move to also benefit the nomadic communities in the BC list, the chief minister announced that students from the 46 nomadic and semi-nomadic communities in the OBC list will also get the facilities provided to SC/ST students for PG courses in universities.

The government has decided to start 10 Saint Shishunala Shariff Residential Schools CBSE curriculum under the minorities welfare department at a cost of Rs 10 crore.

The budget announced a One-Time Settlement Scheme by interest waiver for those who repay the principal loans availed before 31-03-2021 from Corporations under SC, ST, Backward Classes and Minorities Departments.

The Budget has also announced to upgrade 117 Maulana Azad Model Schools and Urdu Schools as Karnataka Public Schools at a cost of Rs 600 crore. In the current year, additional 100 schools will be upgraded under the same model at a cost of Rs.400 crore.