Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at generating employment outside Bengaluru and improving rural education, including incentives for industries to establish units in tier-II and tier-III cities, a new policy to build around 2,000 CSR-funded schools and the launch of a private-sector employment exchange.

Addressing a press conference after chairing the Kalyana Karnataka Divisional-level Progress Review Meeting at Gulbarga University in Kalaburagi, Mr. Shivakumar said that he chose to begin his State tour from Basavakalyana, the land of Basavanna, with the objective of promoting inclusive development.

Industry incentives

The Chief Minister said that the State government has decided to amend the existing urban development laws to introduce 0.6 premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and permit 2x FAR for developments in tier-II and tier-III cities to attract industries and generate employment locally.

“Land is much cheaper in tier-II cities than in Bengaluru. By allowing premium FAR, we can attract major companies to establish their units there, enabling construction of high-rise commercial buildings at lower cost and creating employment opportunities for local youth,” he said.

The State government will also extend special incentives to industries setting up units outside Bengaluru.

“Our priority is employment generation. People should find jobs where they live instead of migrating to Bengaluru. We will roll out several ambitious programmes within the next 100 days to achieve this,” he said.

CSR schools

Mr. Shivakumar announced that the State government will introduce a new policy encouraging companies to utilise their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to establish model schools in rural areas.

Under the proposal, the State government will provide land and standardised designs, while companies will construct the schools using CSR funds at an estimated cost of ₹10 crore to ₹15 crore each.

Around 2,000 schools are proposed under the initiative, after which they will be handed over to the government for operation.

“The objective is to ensure that children in villages receive quality education without having to travel to towns and cities,” he said.

Yuva Udyoga Setu

The Chief Minister announced the launch of Yuva Udyoga Setu, an online employment exchange for the private sector that will integrate employers, job-seekers and educational institutions.

The platform will facilitate vacancy registration, application management, candidate screening, online assessment, interview scheduling and placement tracking, besides supporting skill development, re-skilling and internship programmes.

He said that preference will be given to local candidates, while the State government will facilitate skill development without interfering in recruitment decisions, which will remain with employers.

Youth clubs

To promote sports, culture, leadership, entrepreneurship and social harmony among young people, the State government will establish 10,000 Bharat Jodo Yuvakara Sanghas – 6,000 in gram panchayats and 4,000 in urban areas.

Each youth club will receive an annual grant of ₹10 lakh, with a State-level mission coordinating training and networking. Registration of the youth clubs will be completed by August 15, he said.

SIR process

Replying to questions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Mr. Shivakumar said that the State government is committed to protecting the voting rights of every eligible citizen. It has no intention of politicising the exercise.

“Our objections to certain aspects of the SIR process are before court. But we cannot allow any eligible voter to lose the right to vote merely because we have differences. The State government is extending administrative support to the Election Commission, while ensuring that the process is carried out strictly within the legal framework,” he said.

He said that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been instructed to visit every household at least three times, while political parties have been permitted to assist citizens in filling forms through their Booth Level Agent-2 (BLA-2) representatives.

Rejecting allegations that officials are being pressured during the exercise, he said that they are functioning under the Election Commission’s directions and the State government is only providing administrative support.

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Home Minister Priyank Kharge, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister K.H. Muniyappa, Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil and Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board Chairman Ajay Singh were present at the press conference.