Bengaluru: Hours after taking oath as Karnataka Chief Minister, D K Shivakumar chaired his first cabinet meeting and rolled out a series of decisions aimed at students, employment generation and infrastructure development.
Among the biggest announcements was the extension of free bus travel benefits to male students. Addressing questions on existing transport schemes, Shivakumar said the government would provide free bus passes to boys pursuing education, expanding support beyond the benefits already available to women under the state’s flagship transport programme.
The cabinet also decided to launch a large-scale employment initiative focused on creating job opportunities for young people across the state. The government signalled that skill development and employability would be key priorities in the coming months.
Another major focus was Bengaluru’s infrastructure. The new government reviewed plans aimed at improving road conditions and addressing long-standing traffic and civic issues in the state capital. The administration indicated that infrastructure development would remain a priority area.
The cabinet further approved the creation of 10,000 “Bharat Jodo Clubs” across Karnataka. The initiative is intended to promote social participation, community engagement and youth involvement in public activities.
In addition, the government discussed measures related to education access, youth welfare and administrative reforms as part of its broader governance agenda. Officials said detailed implementation plans for several decisions would be announced separately.
The meeting marked Shivakumar’s first major policy exercise after assuming office and offered an early glimpse into the priorities of the new Congress government, with a clear emphasis on students, employment, youth outreach and Bengaluru’s development.
