D K Shivakumar promises corruption-free recruitment drive, assures youth of ‘good message soon’

Bengaluru

Deputy Chief Minister (Dy.CM) D K Shivakumar on Tuesday assured the state’s youth that the government is committed to conducting a transparent and corruption-free recruitment drive, saying concrete steps are underway to fill long-pending vacancies.

Speaking to reporters at the Nehru Planetarium, Shivakumar said the Cabinet would soon deliberate on the issue. “Our government has done it in the past, is doing it now, and will continue to do so in the future. Youth must be brave. We will soon discuss this in the Cabinet and give a good message,” he said.

Responding to protests by job aspirants in Dharwad, he alleged that vacancies could not be filled during the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime due to multiple scams. “We understand the pain of our youth. That is why we are working towards a corruption-free recruitment system,” he added.

The Deputy CM said a roadmap has been prepared to fill vacant posts, with responsibilities assigned to the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) and other recruitment agencies. He, however, acknowledged hurdles related to internal reservations. He also cited the government’s ‘Yuvanidhi’ initiative as a measure to support unemployed youth.

On infrastructure, Shivakumar reiterated that metro expansion remains a priority, with plans to extend the network to 175 km by 2027. A survey is underway, and he said he would soon meet the Union Minister as the Centre has sought clarifications regarding proposed double-decker flyovers.

Addressing concerns over pending bills across departments, he accused the previous BJP governments led by B. S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai of floating excessive tenders without assessing the state’s financial position, leaving several contractors in distress.