Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar marked 100 days in office by saying that people’s trust and expectations matter more than political power, and that the government’s biggest responsibility is to remain accountable to them.
In an open letter released to mark the milestone, Shivakumar said the position of chief minister was small compared with the expectations placed on the government.
“People’s trust is bigger than power. The post is small compared to the expectations of the people. The challenge, responsibility and accountability before us are big,” he said.
Shivakumar credited former chief minister Siddaramaiah with laying a strong foundation for social justice in Karnataka and said his government was continuing the commitment of making governance inclusive, particularly for exploited and marginalised sections.
He said the Congress government’s five guarantee schemes had provided financial support and greater security to lakhs of families.
Among other measures, he highlighted 7.5% reservation for government-school students in professional course admissions, free bus passes for students and the process of filling 72,000 vacant government posts.
The chief minister said investment proposals worth ₹29,679 crore had been approved, with the potential to generate around 66,000 jobs.
He also pointed to initiatives aimed at giving young people greater opportunities in sports, culture and technology. These include the proposed establishment of 10,000 Bharat Jodo Youth Associations, a government-sponsored AI university and AI education from Class 6.
Other initiatives mentioned in the letter included cloud seeding, a plan to generate one lakh jobs in 10 of the state’s most backward districts and the establishment of a ‘Praja Seva’ department to respond quickly to citizens’ grievances.
Shivakumar said the initiatives outlined in his letter should not be viewed merely as a list of achievements, but as a roadmap for the future.
He acknowledged the difficulties faced by farmers amid drought conditions and reiterated his goal of building a Karnataka that is socially, economically and technologically stronger.
The chief minister said he would continue working towards that objective over the next 500 days.
“Karnataka does not wait for opportunities; it creates opportunities. As long as I breathe, I will work to repay the debt of this soil and improve the lives of its people,” Shivakumar said.
