Published Mar 06, 2026 | 7:18 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 06, 2026 | 7:18 PM
Budgetary allocations have been made for ‘child and women-centric’ interventions, but some waste public money. (Representational picture/iStock)
Synopsis: The Karnataka Budget presents a mixed bag. While several of the proposals are laudable, the government needs to address the concerns of experts as well as the common man.
The Karnataka Budget 2026-27, presented on Friday, 6 March, is progressive with a commitment to vulnerable and marginalised communities. However, oversight and poor implementation can lead to less than satisfactory outcomes.
It is a matter of pride that Karnataka leads the way in the progressive Universal Basic Income intervention, which should be an election manifesto for the whole country. The pressing need of youth unemployment is also being addressed, as opposed to the callous ‘better sell pakoras’ suggestion.
The government has vocally committed to the constitutional mandate of cooperative federalism, calling out the overbearing and discriminatory behaviour of the Union government, while reaffirming its commitment to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. It is good that the Budget has earmarked specific amounts for school toilets and other infrastructure, hopefully giving a better school experience for children.
Promising to provide ‘houses for the homeless’ on one hand, Karnataka has also been in the news for cruel demolition drives and forced evictions, an example of classical doublespeak.
Although allocations have been made for ‘child and women-centric’ interventions, some, like the Annapoorna morning nutrition programme and the menstrual cup distribution schemes, continue to be wasteful public money expenditure. The menstrual leave policy excludes many women and it needs to be a much more thoughtful process.
Regarding health and nutrition, some of the recommendations to the sub-committee formed by the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission (KSPPC) have been accepted. Healthcare and nutrition warrant serious commitments.
The government has committed to infrastructure and other interventions, but patient rights are still violated. The promise of universal and comprehensive healthcare is a distant dream.
The government has continued to focus on infrastructure, while several facilities continue to remain unused because of a lack of water, toilets, human resources, drugs, lab reagents, etc.
Senior citizens in Bengaluru have drawn attention to the flailing Namma Clinics. Their concerns will, hopefully, be addressed going forward.
‘Treatment package’ and public-private partnership (PPP) approach have been a dismal failure, with further concerns being raised in the draft health Bill.
Regulation of private medical establishments through strengthening the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act (KPME) — mostly toothless in its current diluted form — is the need of the hour. The introduction of public health cadres is an excellent move.
Other laudable interventions are the para-medical courses, breast and cervical cancer screening programmes and ESI dispensaries (hopefully, not a PPP model).
It must be recognised that the plan to hand over district hospitals to private medical colleges has been thwarted in Vijayapura by citizens’ sustained campaign.
Despite implementation gaps, it is commendable that the government provides eggs six days a week in government schools. It must be urgently extended to Anganwadis also, considering that malnutrition is a public health issue to be prevented rather than managed.
Anaemia and other nutrition deficiencies cannot be managed with just medications, excessive focus on millets, or the now-discarded rice fortification. Diversity of foods through the inclusion of milk, meat, eggs, poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables and pulses/legumes at subsidised costs is the only way forward. The proposed Indira Food Kit is definitely an improvement, but more needs to be done.
It is disappointing that the government continues to push the ISKCON model of food supply in government schools and hospitals, despite innumerable memoranda against it.
Apart from uniforms as budgeted, Anganwadi workers, as well as ASHAs and mid-day meal cooks, need timely and appropriate remuneration. The Matrupurna Scheme was a good initiative that is now being restored.
The Ksheera Bhagya Yojana has made a huge impact on children through the provision of warm milk. The state also has to implement its election promise of lifting the regressive ban on cattle slaughter.
Although the Budget commits to improving the situation of the fishing communities, it is also making coasts less accessible to the local fishing communities, as in the case of the Honnavar port.
(Views are personal. Edited by Majnu Babu).
