Karnataka CM Shivakumar Urges Corporates to Channel CSR Funds into Primary Education

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has called on companies to prioritise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending on primary education. Speaking at the Global CSR and Sustainability Summit 2026 organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) on July 23, he announced that the state government will set up a dedicated team to monitor CSR projects across the state.

Mr. Shivakumar said Karnataka currently has around 10,000 CSR initiatives. The proposed monitoring mechanism will track their implementation across all districts, ensuring accountability and effectiveness.

The Chief Minister identified primary education as the government's immediate priority. He urged industries to adopt government schools, strengthen educational infrastructure, and contribute skilled professionals to improve learning outcomes. Citing Toyota as an example of a company already supporting school development, he said, 'I want you to adopt schools and build infrastructure.' He added that CSR should go beyond infrastructure creation and focus on building human capacity in schools.

Mr. Shivakumar emphasised that CSR should be viewed as an investment in sustainable development rather than charity. He credited former Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee with introducing the CSR framework in India.

Highlighting Karnataka's educational ecosystem, the Chief Minister noted that the state has 38 international schools, 71 colleges producing nearly 13,900 doctors and about one lakh other healthcare professionals annually, and an information technology sector employing around 26 lakh persons.

Referring to Bengaluru's growth, Mr. Shivakumar said the city's population has nearly doubled from about 70 lakh during his earlier tenure as a minister in the S.M. Krishna government to about 1.4 crore now. He attributed the city's emergence as a global destination to the foundation laid by previous leaders, its educational institutions, and its technology ecosystem.

The Chief Minister said Karnataka's industrial growth has been driven by hubs such as Electronics City and International Tech Park Bengaluru (ITPL). He acknowledged that organisations like FKCCI have contributed to the state's economic development well before the rise of information technology and artificial intelligence sectors.

Mr. Shivakumar called for balanced regional development, saying the state should look beyond Bengaluru and ensure quality educational opportunities in rural areas so that students are not compelled to migrate to the capital for schooling.

Emphasising the need to balance labour welfare and industrial growth, he said both employers and employees are equally important for sustaining economic development. He added that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, are transforming society rapidly, making investments in education and sustainability increasingly important.