Belagavi: Maratha leader Kiran Jadhav has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to allocate at least ₹1,000 crore to the Karnataka Maratha Development Corporation in the upcoming state budget to ensure the holistic development of the Maratha community.
In a statement, Jadhav said the current allocation to the Corporation is inadequate to meet the educational and economic needs of the community, which he described as socially and financially backward in several regions of the state.
He appealed to the Chief Minister, known for prioritising social equity, to earmark a significantly higher budgetary provision. The proposed allocation, he said, should support expanded scholarship schemes, financial assistance for higher education, overseas study subsidies, and targeted programmes promoting agriculture and animal husbandry.
Jadhav also called for low-interest loan facilities for unemployed youth from the community to encourage self-employment and entrepreneurship initiatives.
Highlighting ongoing challenges faced by members of the Maratha community in education and economic advancement, he urged the government to announce a special welfare package in the forthcoming budget session to address long-standing demands.
The demand is expected to add to the broader debate around community-focused allocations and welfare priorities in the Karnataka Budget 2026.
