Siddaramaiah seeks Rs 6,000 crore special grant for Bengaluru infra, flags 17 demands to Centre

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction a special grant of Rs 6,000 crore for Bengaluru to strengthen its infrastructure and sustain its global competitive edge.

In a memorandum to the PM at HAL airport during his visit to the state, Siddaramaiah highlighted 17 major demands, stressing that Bengaluru’s contribution to the national economy warrants priority support.

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Among his requests, the Chief Minister sought inclusion of the Bengaluru–Mysuru stretch in the proposed high-speed rail corridor, citing the need for balanced regional development and improved connectivity. He also urged the Centre to speed up committed assistance for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project and initiate the Bengaluru–Mumbai high-speed rail corridor to connect districts in Kittur Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka.

The memorandum flagged delays in the implementation of the coach factory project announced in the Railway Budget, despite the state having offered 1,123 acres of land. Reviving the project would spur industrial growth and employment in the Kolar region, it noted.

Siddaramaiah also highlighted that Karnataka is yet to receive Rs 2,860 crore in grants for the financial year 2025-26 despite fulfilling all conditions, stressing that timely disbursal is critical for rural infrastructure and essential services.

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He called for urgent sanction and execution of pending national highway projects, pointing out that the state has not been allotted any major new NH projects over the past 12 years.

The Chief Minister pressed for the release of pending grants recommended by the Finance Commission, along with Rs 17,554 crore due as the Centre’s share for key schemes, including those aimed at ensuring universal access to safe drinking water.

“Karnataka remains a leading contributor to the national exchequer, yet several long-pending issues require urgent attention. Addressing these will accelerate the state’s growth and reinforce cooperative federalism,” Siddaramaiah said in the memorandum.