Hours after taking oath as Karnataka Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar unveiled a six-point agenda focused on youth empowerment, employment, infrastructure development and property reforms, describing it as the beginning of a “new youth era” in the state.

Announcing decisions taken during his first Cabinet meeting, Shivakumar said the government would prioritise creating opportunities for young people while accelerating development projects across Karnataka.

Free bus passes and jobs for youth

Among the major announcements was the introduction of free bus passes for all school and college students. The scheme will be implemented after consultations with the Transport Department regarding operational details.

The Cabinet also approved the creation of a private-sector employment exchange aimed at connecting job seekers with companies. In addition, the government plans to fill 56,000 vacant government posts, with a recruitment calendar expected soon.

A policy offering preference to local candidates in private-sector jobs is also expected within a month.

10,000 youth clubs across Karnataka

To encourage youth participation in community development, the government will establish 10,000 Bharat Jodo Youth Clubs across villages and urban wards.

Each club will receive financial assistance of ₹10 lakh and will focus on sports, cultural programmes, leadership development and social engagement.

₹2,000 crore road plan and property relief

The Cabinet sanctioned ₹2,000 crore for road resurfacing and asphalting projects across Bengaluru, with the government aiming to complete the works within the next few months.

The administration also announced a one-time relief measure for homeowners facing Occupancy Certificate (OC) and Completion Certificate (CC) issues for properties up to 2,500 sq ft with limited deviations.

Additionally, the B Khata-to-A Khata conversion scheme will be expanded across Karnataka to simplify property documentation and ownership records.

Senior Congress leader G Parameshwara was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister alongside Shivakumar, while 13 legislators joined the new Cabinet.