BENGALURU: Bengaluru is expected to receive a lion’s share in the upcoming state budget to be presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on March 6. While Bengaluru Development Minister and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is pushing for higher grants for the city, the chief minister himself is also facing pressure to focus on Bengaluru’s development as he heads the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), with GBA polls likely to be held this year.
In the 2025–26 Budget, the chief minister had announced Rs 7,000 crore for infrastructure works (excluding major projects), compared to Rs 3,000 crore earmarked for infrastructure in 2024. This year, allocations are expected to cross Rs 12,000 crore amid growing demands for improved roads, better footpaths and effective garbage management.
“Going by past trends, the party in power in the state tends to retain control of Bengaluru. With issues such as poor roads, broken footpaths and the garbage menace, the government believes it needs better control and higher allocations. The Congress government’s move to divide BBMP into five corporations has already drawn criticism and could put the party in an embarrassing position if it loses the polls,” sources said.
A senior minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the chief minister is under pressure to announce additional grants. “With the new corporations, funds must be distributed evenly. If elections are held soon, councillors will require ward grants.
With 369 councillors, pressure will be on the GBA, and any shortage will ultimately fall on the state government,” the minister told The New Indian Express.
It may be noted that MLAs from Bengaluru, including those from the Congress, have been demanding higher constituency grants, stating that they have struggled to secure funds over the last two tothree years.
With limited major development works and elections approaching, the government is under increasing pressure to announce higher allocations. Congress leaders from Bengaluru added that the Chief Minister may also have to clear funds for proposals pushed by the Deputy CM, including the tunnel road project. “There is no way he can ignore it or provide lower grants for the Deputy CM’s proposed projects,” a leader said.