Karnataka CM announces plans for official state flag status

During the 71st Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations, Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar announced that the state government is considering granting official status to the red-and-yellow Kannada flag. The proposal, which aims to provide legal recognition and protection to the flag as a symbol of Kannadiga identity, will be discussed during the upcoming winter session of the state legislature in Belagavi. The government intends to consult legal experts and facilitate public discussion before submitting a revised proposal to the central government.

In addition to the flag discussion, the Chief Minister announced several welfare and development initiatives. These include a 7.5 percent reservation for students from rural government schools in professional courses like medicine and engineering, and the recruitment of 15,000 teachers. To boost employment, the government has approved investments worth 29,679 crore rupees, expected to create approximately 66,000 jobs. Other announced programs include the ‘Grammanubhava’ initiative to introduce urban students to rural life, AI training for school students, and various agricultural schemes such as ‘Vasudhamrutha’ and ‘Tega Siri’ to support farmers.