Karnataka becomes India's first state to announce ban on social media for children under 16

KARNATAKA, home to the tech hub of Bengaluru, will ban the use of social media by those under the age of 16, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday. The state became the first in India to do so.

Siddaramaiah made the announcement while presenting the 2026-27 State Budget in the Vidhana Soudha on Friday, March 6.

According to news agency ANI, Siddaramaiah said the move aims to prevent the adverse effects of increasing mobile usage among children.

Siddaramaiah said in his budget speech, “With the objective of preventing adverse effects of increasing mobile usage on children, usage of social media will be banned for children under the age of 16.”

What else was announced in Karnataka Budget 2026?

Karnataka State Budget was pegged at ₹4,48,004 crore, with a focus on technology-driven growth, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability.

1. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Rohith Vemula (Protection of SC/STs from Caste Discrimination in Higher Educational Institutions) Act will be implemented in all government, private, and deemed educational institutions to tackle caste-based educational and social oppression.

2. Siddaramaiah also announced that an AI and Technology Park will be set up under the Indian Institute of Science, which will establish a Robotics and AI campus named the "Bangalore Robotics and AI Innovation Zone" in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation and Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited.

3. The Chief Minister added that the North-South Corridor project from Hebbal Junction to HSR Layout-Silk Board Junction and the East-West Corridor project from KR Puram to Mysore Road, covering a total length of 40 km, have been approved at an estimated cost of ₹40,000 crore under the BOOT model.

In the first phase, tenders have been invited for the 17-km North-South Corridor project for ₹17,780 crore.

4. Siddaramaiah also announced that a tunnel road and an elevated road from Hebbal Junction to Mekhri Circle will be constructed by the Bangalore Development Authority at ₹2,250 crore.

5. Among the major announcements, Siddaramaiah said that with the objective of establishing a state-of-the-art AI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, two centres will be set up in collaboration with the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms and NASSCOM at a total cost of ₹16 crore.

6. He also announced that a Leopard Rehabilitation Centre will be established in Bannerghatta Biological Park to rehabilitate leopards captured from residential areas on the outskirts of Bengaluru, at an estimated cost of ₹5 crore.

7. Under the Karnataka Water Security and Resilience Programme (KWSRP), a World Bank-funded initiative, disaster management projects will be undertaken over five years for ₹5,000 crore to address flooding in Bengaluru.

8. Siddaramaiah further announced that, in accordance with revised transfer rules of the Excise Department, transfers of Group-C cadre officers, including Excise Inspectors, Excise Sub-Inspectors, and Excise Head Constables/Constables, have been carried out through digital counselling to enhance transparency.

The government will also extend digital counselling for transfers of Excise Deputy Superintendents and Excise Superintendents.

9. The Chief Minister stated that Hajj Bhavans will be constructed in Hubballi and Kalaburagi for Hajj pilgrims.

10. He also said that Waqf properties located in high-demand commercial areas will be developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

11. In another announcement, Siddaramaiah said that all Gram Panchayats in the state will be renamed as "Mahatma Gandhi Gram Panchayats."

Other highlights

Siddaramaiah also announced the construction of a 450-bed multi-speciality hospital in Karwar at a cost of ₹198 crore. In addition, a trauma care centre will be established in Raichur for ₹10 crore, while Peripheral Cancer Centres will be set up in Mysuru and Tumakuru for ₹92 crore.

The state government has already released ₹1,593 crore for the development of seven domestic airports in Karnataka, with ₹200 crore earmarked for the current year.

In a major infrastructure push for Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah announced that the Outer Ring Road stretch from Silk Board Junction to KR Puram Metro Station will be developed into a global-standard corridor at an estimated cost of ₹450 crore.

He also announced that Student Union Elections will be conducted in colleges and universities across the state. Speaking about the Namma Metro project, the Chief Minister said that a total expenditure of ₹67,460 crore has been incurred so far. Of this, the state government has contributed ₹59,376 crore (88 per cent), while the Centre's share stands at ₹8,084 crore (12 per cent).

- A second airport in Bengaluru to decongest Kempegowda International Airport, the third-busiest airport in India. A feasibility report will be prepared after obtaining technical advice from the Airports Authority of India.

- ₹1,593 crore for the development of seven domestic airports in Karnataka, while ₹200 crore has been earmarked for the current year.

-Aircraft manufacturing and assembly activities will be undertaken in PPP mode at Shivamogga airport.