BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah handed over a comprehensive memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging immediate intervention on a wide range of pending infrastructure projects, financial allocations and policy approvals critical to the state’s development.
Siddaramaiah, who welcomed the PM at HAL Airport, submitted the memorandum in person. In the memo, Siddaramaiah described the state as a key driver of India’s economic growth, with strong contributions in information technology, manufacturing, agriculture and services.
He reaffirmed Karnataka’s commitment to cooperative federalism but raised concern over delays in approval and the release of funds by the Union government, stating that such delays have created a perception of systemic inequity.
The CM also highlighted several long-pending issues, including non-implementation of the railway coach factory in Kolar despite the state providing 1,123 acres of land, the need to include the Bengaluru-Mysuru segment in the proposed high-speed rail corridor while also initiating the Bengaluru-Mumbai high-speed rail project.
He urged the Centre to expedite the release of committed funds for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project and to clear pending dues under key schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, for which Karnataka is awaiting Rs 17,554 crore.
The CM also pointed out that Rs 2,860 crore in grants recommended for gram panchayats for the financial year 2025-26 and Rs 5,495 crore in revenue deficit grants remain pending.
He also sought Rs 6,000 crore special grant for Bengaluru to strengthen its infrastructure and global competitiveness. “Karnataka has not received any major new national highway projects in the past 12 years despite its significant contribution to the national economy,’’ he added.
Siddaramaiah also sought urgent approvals and support for major irrigation and water projects, including expediting appraisal of the Mekedatu Drinking Water Project, releasing Rs 5,300 crore in central assistance for the Upper Bhadra Project and granting it national project status. He stressed on issuing the gazette notification for the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II award and declaring the Upper Krishna Project as a national project.
He urged the Union government to grant wildlife clearance for the Kalasa Nala Diversion Project under the Mahadayi river dispute and to ensure an equitable allocation of 40-45 tmcft of water to Karnataka under interlinking of rivers projects such as the Godavari-Cauvery and Bedthi-Varada links.
The CM raised policy and regional development concerns, requesting the inclusion of Karnataka’s 56% reservation policy in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution and the inclusion of certain other backward classes in the central list of scheduled tribes.
He called for dedicated financial support of Rs 5,000 crore annually for the development of the Kalyana Karnataka Region under Article 371(J), along with the establishment of at least one public sector undertaking in each district of North Karnataka. Siddaramaiah also sought expedited forest, environmental and wildlife clearances for the 2000 MW Sharavathy Pumped Storage Project and early approval for establishing an AIIMS in Raichur to improve healthcare access in the backward region.