Karnataka Budget 2025 Highlights: Priests’ salary, movie ticket prices, ‘Brand Bengaluru’ inside ₹4 lakh crore budget

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented his record 16th Budget on Friday. A total of ₹4.095 lakh crore was allotted for the Karnataka Budget 2025-26.

The Karnataka Budget allocated ₹51,034 crore for the five guarantee schemes promised by the Congress government in the state. Here are top highlights from the Karnataka Budget 2025-26:

1. It allocated ₹82,000 crore for capital investment. "This makes Karnataka one of the highest capital investment making states," said

2. Liquor prices are likely to be reviewed and increased to match rates in neighbouring states.

3. A 4% reservation for Muslims introduced in government tenders and contracts.

4. Grants worth ₹100 crore earmarked for the Comprehensive development of Jain, Buddhist and Sikh communities. ₹250 crore to be provided for the development of Christian community. A Sannati Development Authority to be established in the ancient Buddhist centre of Sannati in Chittapura taluka of Kalaburgi district.

5. Annual salary of temple priests increased from ₹60,000 to ₹72,000. The honorarium given to Jain priests, Chief Grantis of Sikhs and Pesh-Imams of mosques will be enhanced to ₹6,000 per month. The honorarium given to Assistant Granti and Muezzin has been increased to ₹5,000 per month.

The government also announced construction of an additional building in Haj Bhavan at Bengaluru to provide with facilities and amenities to Haj pilgrims and their relatives.

6. State to float own OTT to help develop Kannada language programmes.

7. For women-centric programmes, ₹94,084 crore allocated.

8. For children-centric programmes, ₹62,033 crore provided. National Foreign Student Scholarship amount given to the minority students will be enhanced from ₹20 lakh to Rs.30 lakh.

9. Minority youth will be encouraged to launch new start-ups through the Karnataka Minority Development Corporation. Rs. 150 crores has been provided for repairing and renovating Waqf properties, providing infrastructure, and protecting Muslim burial grounds.

10. CM Siddaramaiah announced that multiplexes across Karnataka will now have a maximum ticket price cap of ₹200. "The cost of the ticket of each show in all theatres of the state including multiplexes will be capped at ₹200," the Budget document stated.

11. Monthly pension for journalists facing hardship will be increased from Rs. 12,000/- to Rs. 15,000/- and family pension from ₹6,000/- to Rs.7,500/-.

What's in for Bengaluru?

1. The budget allocation for Bengaluru increased to ₹7,000 crore. A total of ₹1,800 crore has been earmarked for 21 projects under the Brand Bengaluru initiative.
2. A 'Comprehensive Health Programme' will be implemented over the next three years under Brand Bengaluru Plan at a cost of ₹413 crore with the goal of making Bengaluru a city of global health standards.
3. A 40.5 km double decker flyover will be constructed at a cost of ₹8,916 crore along with Namma Metro Phase - 3 Project to mitigate vehicular congestion and to intended to make major roads of Bengaluru ensure smooth movement of traffic.
4. A network of 300 kms additional roads will be constructed at a cost of ₹3,000 crore, utilising canal buffer zones.
5. The arterial and sub-arterial road network in BBMP area measuring 460 km will also be developed at a cost of ₹660 crore.
6. Flyovers and Grade Separators of length 120 km will be built in the Bengaluru city.
7. ₹3,000 crore was allocated to address weather-related challenges and enhance the city’s drainage and sewage treatment infrastructure.
8. Another ₹555 crore was allocated for the fifth phase of the Cauvery water supply project, which aims to provide drinking water to 110 villages.
9. The Bengaluru Metro network will also be expanded to 98.60 km, with improved connectivity to Devanahalli.
10. 200-bed hospital will be constructed at a cost of ₹150 crore in Bengaluru North.
11. A new satellite market will be established in the outskirts of Bengaluru in view of the increasing vehicular congestion in the market committees in Bengaluru.
12. Bangalore City University will be renamed as Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University