On June 3, 2026, the new Chief Minister of Karnataka, DK Shivakumar, took oath at the Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru. Just a few hours after taking the oath as CM, he announced free bus passes for students to travel in non-luxury state-run buses. This is a part of an ambitious six-point welfare and development agenda revealed by the CM. Keep reading to get more information about this announcement.
Free Bus Passes For Students In Karnataka
In his first Cabinet briefing, DK Shivakumar announced a six-point agenda with a series of youth-focused and welfare initiatives. One of these agendas included the announcement that the state will provide free bus passes to all the school and college students across the state. He mentioned that the government is ushering in a new “Youth Era” which will focus on actions. The CM will be discussing the same with the Transport Department.
One of the key decisions to roll out free passes for students included students from school to postgraduate. Free passes will be available only on state-run non-luxury buses, and students will need to apply. The move, according to Shivakumar, is aimed at offering students equal travel benefits. Along with this, he also insisted that no financial constraint would stop the implementation of this scheme.
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After announcing the scheme on Wednesday, the CM clarified on Thursday that free passes will not be provided to outsiders. He mentioned that any program will be applicable only for the locals, and they cannot give the benefits to people from any other state.
The government will be finalising the operational framework for the scheme soon after discussions with the Transport Department. The students meeting the eligibility criteria can apply for the free bus pass after its launch through a designated process.
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Other Initiatives Under This Agenda
Karnataka CM announced that the government is set to establish a private sector employment exchange. This exchange will help job seekers to connect with employers. The authorities will focus on filling about 56,000 government vacancies.
He also announced that the state will establish about 10,000 ‘Bharat Jodo’ youth clubs in Karnataka, especially in villages. This club will serve as a platform for cultural programmes, community-building activities, and leadership training.
With an aim to improve Bengaluru’s road infrastructure, the Cabinet will sanction an INR 2 crore grant. This funding will be for tarring and resurfacing the roads across the city. The work will be completed within the next three to four months.
The government will announce a one-time regularisation measure for home owners. This is to help them with issues related to Occupancy Certificates (OC) and Completion Certificates (CC). This will help in resolving property-related disputes that are longstanding.
The CM has also approved the expansion of the B Khata to the A Khata conversion programme. This will help property owners to get a clearer legal status of their property.
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Summing Up
DK Shivakumar, the new Chief Minister of Karnataka, announced a six-point welfare agenda. This included the announcement that all the students of Karnataka can apply for free bus passes. These passes will be applicable only for non-luxury state-run buses.
