NITI Aayog pitches 'second Bengaluru' to ease strain on Karnataka capital
NITI Aayog has advised Karnataka to consider developing a 'second Bengaluru' to relieve the capital's growing population and infrastructure burden.
The NITI Aayog has advised the Karnataka government to explore the creation of a 'second Bengaluru' within the state to alleviate the mounting pressure on the existing capital.
The recommendation was made by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri during a meeting with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Lahiri expressed pride in Karnataka's development but stressed the urgent need to consider a new urban centre to decongest the state's primary city.
Responding to the suggestion, Chief Minister Shivakumar said a comprehensive plan would be drafted in line with NITI Aayog's expectations, and that successful models adopted by other states would also be examined.
Shivakumar highlighted the scale of the challenge, noting that Karnataka produces approximately 1.6 lakh engineers and 13,000 doctors annually. Bengaluru alone hosts 26 lakh IT professionals, and its population continues to rise steadily as more people choose to settle there, intensifying pressure on civic infrastructure.
The Chief Minister added that several ambitious projects aimed at improving Bengaluru's infrastructure are currently in the implementation phase.
Shivakumar also appealed for special consideration for Karnataka, pointing to the state's leading position nationally in GDP, per capita income, human development index, technology, innovation, FDI, exports, startups, and IT services. He described Karnataka as possessing the country's best quality human resources.
Noting that Karnataka had secured a dedicated meeting with NITI Aayog after a long gap, the Chief Minister sought the institution's full support. He requested that the state receive its due share of central funds, including pending grants announced in earlier Union Budgets, and emphasised the need for cooperative federalism.
Recalling a recent conversation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Shivakumar said he had argued that southern states, which have effectively implemented population control measures, should not be penalised through reduced fund allocations based on population criteria.