Karnataka to devise Rs 3,400 crore action plan to revive lakes, CM Siddaramaiah announces on Independence Day

Karnataka will become the richest state in the nation if it gets what it deserves as the second-highest tax-paying state, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday.

He was speaking at the 77th Independence Day celebrations held at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground in Bengaluru.

The chief minister explained the rationale and the impact of each of the five guarantee schemes implemented by the state government. "We are implementing policies that are aimed at ensuring social justice in terms of accumulation of resources and their redistribution," he said, adding that the government has followed the Universal Basic Income policy to introduce these schemes.

Measures are being taken to strengthen and develop agriculture, medical, education, transport, environment, and other sectors across the state, he remarked.

The government will come up with a Rs 3,400 crore action plan to preserve and revive lakes and invest Rs 1.4 lakh crore every year to achieve a 15 to 16 per cent growth rate, he added.

Siddaramaiah also vowed to end rampant "institutionalised" corruption by probing the implementation of various schemes and called on the people of Karnataka to unitedly commit to comprehensive development of the state. "We dream of transforming Karnataka into the number one state in Asia for modern technology and manufacturing," he said.

He said steps are being taken to relaunch programs such as Krishi Bhagya, Anugraha Yojane, Vidyasiri, and scholarships to students from minority communities, that the Congress party implemented in its previous term in power.

"About 1.3 crore poor families will participate in the development process we are trying to create. They will enjoy benefits without the intervention of middlemen and realise comprehensive women empowerment. This will demonstrate the Karnataka Model of Development," said the chief minister.

He emphasised the government's efforts to focus on GDP-boosting sectors, such as aerospace and defence, and give top priority to future mobility, semiconductors, med tech, among other sectors across the state.

Focusing on comprehensive sustainable development and increased employment opportunities outside Bengaluru to address regional imbalance, the government aims to set up industrial townships in Mysuru, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Ballari, Kalaburagi, and Hubli-Dharwad, and suburban townships in Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara districts.

The government will lend loans to acid attack victims, provide subsidies to unemployed youth from SC, ST, minority communities to buy electric vehicles, he said. Government buses will have tracking facilities and panic buttons fit in them, he added.