Karnataka, home state of India's Silicon Valley Bengaluru, has banned the use of social media for kids under the age of 16 years, announced chief minister Siddaramaiah while presenting the state budget for 2026-27 on Friday, March 6. The ban is aimed at preventing the negative impact on children caused by increasing mobile phone usage. The restriction on the use of social media for kids had been under discussion among state ministers in Karnataka for the last few months.
During the state budget speech, CM Siddaramaiah said Karnataka remains at the forefront of the nation's development and is among the largest contributors of tax revenues to the country. "Our state is at the forefront in all sectors of the nation's development; it is one of the key states that contributes the highest tax revenues," he said.
Karnataka state budget 2026-27
Karnataka's longest-serving CM also announced that an artificial intelligence and technology park will be set up unde the Indian Institute of Science, which will establish a Robotics and Al campus named the "Bangalore Robotics and Al Innovation Zone" in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation and Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited.
He further said that the North-South Corridor project from Hebbal Junction to HSR Layout-Silk Board Junction and the East-West Corridor project from K. R. Puram to Mysore Road, covering a total length of 40 km, have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 40,000 crore under the BOOT model. In the first phase, tenders have been invited for the 17-km North-South Corridor project for Rs 17,780 crore.
A tunnel road and an elevated road from Hebbal Junction to Mekhri Circle will be constructed by the Bangalore Development Authority at Rs 2,250 crore. The Karnataka State Budget has been pegged at Rs 4,48,004 crore, with a focus on technology-driven growth, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability, according to the official document.
Presenting the budget, CM Siddaramaiah said that Karnataka plays a distinctive role in national and international trade, and rapid developments in AI are transforming global production systems. He emphasised that innovations in science and technology are increasingly shaping the trajectory of the state. In this context, he said the Budget has been presented with responsibility and foresight to move forward with the resolve to "turn fire into light."
He also announced that a grant of Rs 565 crore will be provided for the construction of new rooms and repair works in government primary, high schools, and Pre-University Colleges, Rs 75 crore for the construction of toilets and Rs 25 crore for the procurement of furniture in schools. A grant of Rs 125 crore will be made for the maintenance of government primary schools, high schools, and Pre-University Colleges.
Stressing that schools, colleges and universities play a pivotal role in shaping the health, character and future of students, he said the government will take firm measures, including awareness and educational campaigns, strict discipline and the setting up of dedicated support and counselling centres in order to curb the menace of drug abuse within these campuses.
With the slogan "Uttama Kalike, Ujjwala Bhavishya" (Better Learning, Brighter Future), 800 schools will be upgraded to Karnataka Public Schools (KPS). This will facilitate providing quality education under one roof. According to him, an expenditure of Rs.3,900 crore will be incurred for this purpose over the next three years. To alleviate stress and improve the mental health of students, one qualified mental health counsellor will be appointed to each of the 204 Block Resource Centres.
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To implement bilingual classes in government primary schools and enhance the capacity of primary school teachers, an English language training programme will be organised at a cost of Rs 24 crore. Under Vidya Vikas Scheme, activity books for pre-primary students, value education books for Classes 1 to 10, and textbooks for Pre-University students will be provided free of cost from 2026-27. In collaboration with IIT Dharwad, a Personalized Self-Learning Digital Tutor facility using AI tech, will be provided to approximately 12.28 lakh students from Classes 8 to 12 at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore, he added.
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