States PCS: Karnataka GK for KPSC and other Karnataka State Exams

Notes:
The Karnataka Industrial Policy 2025-30 states MSMEs contribute around 30% to the state’s industrial ecosystem. Over 8 million MSMEs operate in Karnataka, including 395,603 manufacturing MSMEs registered from August 2020 to September 2024. These MSMEs employ approximately 5.5 million people in the state. The policy supports MSME growth with dedicated measures in the 2025-26 budget. The national average MSME manufacturing output contribution is estimated at 35.4%, slightly higher than Karnataka’s reported figure.

Notes:
The Karnataka Budget 2026-27 allocates Rs 71,924 crore for infrastructure assets like roads and buildings. This represents a 14% increase from the revised 2025-26 estimate. Total capital expenditure is Rs 74,682 crore within an overall budget of Rs 4,48,004 crore. Key allocations include Rs 7,640 crore for roads and bridges, Rs 18,123 crore for transport, and Rs 22,430 crore for irrigation.

Notes:
In Karnataka Budget 2026-27, Rs 41,136 crore is allocated for pensions, including social security pensions. This represents a 9% increase from the 2025-26 revised estimate of Rs 37,684 crore. The committed expenditure category in the budget totals Rs 1,85,025 crore, which includes salaries (Rs 90,557 crore) and interest payments (Rs 53,332 crore). The total budget outlay for Karnataka in 2026-27 is Rs 4,48,004 crore.

Notes:
The Western Ghats cover approximately 60% of Karnataka and are designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This region is a global biodiversity hotspot with over 4,500 flowering plant species, 38% of which are endemic. Karnataka is recognized for its rich biodiversity including a significant number of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The Western Ghats contribute substantially to the state’s ecological diversity and natural heritage.

Notes:
Karnataka ranked 20th among Indian states in 2023 with an HDI of 0.764. The state showed improvement from an HDI of 0.706 in 2018 to 0.764 in 2023. Bangalore Urban district recorded an HDI of 0.74 in 2022, higher than Karnataka’s overall HDI of 0.644 that year. Karnataka falls in the “High” human development category nationally.

Notes:
Kris Gopalakrishnan is a co-founder of Infosys and served as its CEO and Vice Chairman. Infosys is a major IT services company headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka. He contributed to developing its global IT delivery model and technology capabilities. Infosys was founded in 1981 and is one of India’s largest software services exporters.

Notes:
Ullas Karanth is a wildlife biologist noted for tiger conservation in Karnataka. He has worked extensively in Nagarhole National Park and contributed to Bengal tiger protection through scientific wildlife monitoring. He has been associated with the Wildlife Conservation Society and focused on tiger habitats within Karnataka and other parts of India.

Notes:
Dr. M.V. Gopalaswamy, a professor at Maharaja’s College, Mysuru, started the first private radio station named “Akashvani” in 1935. Although Rabindranath Tagore used the term poetically earlier, Gopalaswamy formally named his radio station “Akashvani.” The Indian government officially adopted “Akashvani” as the Hindi name for All India Radio in 1957, after the Indian State Broadcasting Service was renamed AIR in 1936. Thus, the name was officially adopted for the national broadcaster in 1956–1957, although the private Mysore radio station used it earlier, in 1935 by Dr. M.V. Gopalaswamy.

Notes:
Goravara Kunitha is a ritualistic dance of devotees of Lord Mailara Linga from Karnataka. Performers called Goravas wear black woollen rugs and distinct caps made from bear fur. They carry instruments like the Damaruga drum and Pilla-ngovi flute. The dance is notable in North Karnataka and Mysore, reflecting Shaivite pastoral traditions.

Notes:
The correct matchings of factories in Karnataka with their years of establishment are as follows: Mysore Iron and Steel Factory (1923) was established in Bhadravathi by Sir M. Visvesvaraya as India’s first public sector steel plant; Mysore Sandal Soap Factory began operations in 1918; Mysore Sugar Company (1933) was founded in Mandya by ruler Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar; and Mysore Paper Mill started in 1937 utilizing local bamboo resources. Hence, option 2 correctly reflects these matches.