Social media will be banned for children under the age of 16 in Karnataka, says CM Siddaramaiah
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that social media will be banned for children below the age of 16 while presenting the 2026–27 State Budget in the Vidhana Soudha.
During his Budget speech, the Chief Minister said the decision is aimed at preventing the adverse effects of increasing mobile phone usage among children.
The Chief Minister also announced that an AI and Technology Park will be set up under the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The institute will establish a Robotics and AI campus named the “Bangalore Robotics and AI Innovation Zone” in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS).
As part of infrastructure development, Siddaramaiah said that the North–South Corridor project from Hebbal Junction to HSR Layout–Silk Board Junction and the East–West Corridor project from K. R. Puram to Mysore Road have been approved. The two projects together cover 40 kilometres and will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 40,000 crore under the BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) model.
In the first phase, tenders have been invited for the 17-km North–South Corridor project, estimated to cost Rs 17,780 crore.
The Chief Minister also announced that a tunnel road and an elevated corridor from Hebbal Junction to Mekhri Circle will be constructed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) at a cost of Rs 2,250 crore.
The Karnataka State Budget for 2026–27 has been pegged at Rs 4,48,004 crore, with a focus on technology-driven growth, infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.