NITI Aayog tells Karnataka to consider building a ‘second Bengaluru’ to ease pressure on capital

The NITI Aayog has advised the Karnataka government to consider constructing a "second Bengaluru" within the state to alleviate the strain on the capital city. This proposal was made during a meeting on Wednesday between NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in Bengaluru. Lahiri expressed pride in Karnataka's development and emphasized the necessity of exploring a second urban center to ease the pressure on Bengaluru.

The Chief Minister concurred, stating that a comprehensive plan would be devised according to NITI Aayog's requirements. He also acknowledged the initiatives undertaken by other states in this matter. The rapid growth of Karnataka's engineering and medical graduates, the burgeoning IT industry in Bengaluru with 26 lakh professionals, and the continuous increase in population settling in the city were cited as factors contributing to the mounting pressure on Bengaluru.

Shivakumar highlighted several ambitious projects aimed at enhancing Bengaluru's infrastructure and appealed to NITI Aayog to consider Karnataka's unique strengths, including its high GDP, per capita income, human development index, technological advancements, and robust IT sector. He urged the NITI Aayog to provide Karnataka with its rightful share of central funds, including pending grants from the Central Budget, and stressed the importance of cooperative federalism between the states and the central government.