Karnataka Budget: Eggs, bananas will be given in govt schools six days a week, movie tickets to be capped at Rs 200

Karnataka Budget: Eggs, bananas will be given in govt schools six days a week, movie tickets to be capped at Rs 200

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, March 7, 2025: With school authorities stating that giving eggs in midday meals six days a week has improved attendance considerably, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday announced that his government will continue to invest Rs 1,500 crore in the coming year too.

Presenting the budget in the Assembly, he said, "Eggs/bananas being given to 53 lakh schoolchildren two days a week to mitigate malnutrition among them has been extended to six days a week with support from the Azim Premji Foundation at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore. This programme will be continued in 2025-26."

He also said ragi health powder mixed with hot milk, which was distributed to schoolchildren three days a week, will be extended to five days a week with a total cost of Rs 100 crore.

While 25 per cent of this project cost will be borne by the state government, the rest will be supported by Shri Sathya Sai Annapoorna Trust, which will be donating Sai Sure ragi powder mix, added the CM.

Siddaramaiah said under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, an expenditure of Rs 46 crore will be made to provide new kitchen utensils and to modernise kitchens in 16,347 schools in the state.

Movie tickets price

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Friday that the cost of the tickets in all theatres of the state, including multiplexes here, will be capped at Rs 200.

In his historic 16th budget, Siddaramaiah also announced Karnataka will create an OTT platform to promote Kannada movies.

Recently, leading Kannada actor-producers like Rakshit Shetty and Risabh Shetty had complained they were unable to get any major OTT platforms to pick up the Kannada content.

Incidentally, Rakshit Shetty’s production house, Paramvah Studio began streaming its Kannada web series ’Ekam’ in a custom platform in July 2024, unable to find an OTT platform.

The CM has also earmarked Rs 3 crore for creating a repository of Kannada films, both in digital and non-digital formats, to preserve movies depicting social, historical and cultural values of the state.

Heeding another another demand by the stakeholders, Siddaramaiah said the cinema sector will be given the status of an industry and that the facilities provided under the Industrial Policy will be extended to it.

According to him, a multiplex movie theatre complex will also be developed under Public Private Partnership (PPP) in 2.5-acre land owned by the Karnataka Film Academy in Nandini Layout in the city.

Also, for developing an International level Film City in Mysuru at a cost of Rs 500 crore in PPP model, 150 acre land has been transferred to the Department of Information and Public relations, Siddaramaiah said.