G Kumar Naik

G. Kumar Naik is an Indian politician and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who currently serves as a Member of Parliament in the 18th Lok Sabha from the Raichur constituency in Karnataka. He is a member of the Indian National Congress. ^[1]

Born in Bangalore to Mr. T.N. Govindaswamy Naik and Smt. Sharadamma, I had my early education in different districts in Karnataka while my father who was Deputy commissioner of the Dept. of Commercial Taxes, Government of Karnataka occasionally shifted on transfer. My schooling in Sri Ramkrishna Vidyashala, Mysore has had a huge impact on my personal life and values. I pursued my graduation in Civil Engineering in University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore. After obtaining degree in first class,I appeared for Civil Services Examination and qualified, first for the Indian Customs and Central Excise Service (1988 batch) and later Indian Administrative Service (1990 batch).

G. Kumar Naik began his administrative career after joining the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the 1990 batch. During the early years of his service, he worked in several districts of Karnataka including Hunsur, Kumta, Belgaum (Belagavi), Raichur and Mysore, gaining extensive experience in district administration and rural development.

Between 1994 and 1996, he served as Assistant Commissioner in Hunsur and Kumta, where he worked on land revenue administration and rural development initiatives. During this period, he actively participated in the Sampurna Saksharata Andolana (Total Literacy Campaign) and other grassroots programmes aimed at improving literacy and community participation in development.

From 1996 to 1999, Kumar Naik served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Zilla Panchayat in Belgaum (Belagavi). During his tenure, he played a key role in promoting self-help groups among rural men and women, which helped facilitate local development initiatives. This model of community mobilisation came to be recognised by NABARD as the “Belgaum Model.” Under his leadership, the Belgaum Zilla Panchayat received the first prize at the national level for the implementation of a biogas project. He was also credited with efforts to restore normalcy in Bhatkal Taluk during a period of communal tension, which was appreciated by the administration.

Kumar Naik later served as Deputy Commissioner of Raichur from 1999 to 2002, where he worked closely with issues relating to regional inequality, literacy, and malnutrition. His tenure in Raichur brought him into direct engagement with socio-economic challenges in the region and shaped his continued focus on inclusive development.

From 2002 to 2005, he served as Deputy Commissioner of Mysore. During this period, the traditional Mysuru Dasara festival was expanded with new initiatives such as Yuva Dasara, adventure sports events, and improved tourism facilitation, including the introduction of a Gold Card system for visitors to access major attractions and the Dasara procession.

Over the course of his administrative career, Kumar Naik also gained extensive experience at the policy-making level, particularly in areas such as education (both primary and higher education), energy administration—including distribution, transmission and generation in conventional and renewable sectors—and welfare administration, especially programmes related to the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

• Served in all three segments of the power sector—distribution, transmission, and generation—as Managing Director of BESCOM, KPTCL, and KPCL, and later as Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department.
• Initiated the Distribution Automation System (DAS) in BESCOM to improve control and efficiency of the power distribution network.
• Planned and tendered 400 kV transmission lines connecting thermal power stations in northern Karnataka to Bengaluru while serving in KPTCL.
• Oversaw the commissioning of two 800 MW super-critical thermal power units at Yeramarus, Raichur, significantly increasing the state’s power generation capacity.
• Introduced an operation and maintenance contract model, saving approximately ₹388 crore for KPCL.
• Established a robust energy trading mechanism, generating over ₹6,000 crore for state power distribution companies.
• Led the formulation of the Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy (2022–2027) and Karnataka Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy (2022–2027).
• Appointed to a national-level committee on the Deviation Settlement Mechanism Regulation due to his experience in the energy sector.

• Implemented initiatives to ensure 100% enrolment and retention in primary and secondary schools across Karnataka.
• Ensured timely distribution of textbooks, uniforms, and bicycles and uninterrupted implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Programme.
• Expanded the “Nali Kali” child-centred learning model across primary schools to promote joyful learning.
• Strengthened the Karnataka State Quality Assessment Organisation to improve school education standards.
• Played a key role in enacting the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers) Act, ensuring transparency and balanced teacher deployment.
• Authored the widely recognised “Kumar Naik Report” on the demands of Pre-University lecturers, which was largely accepted by the Government of Karnataka.

• Led the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in Karnataka as Additional Chief Secretary.
• Introduced student-centric and multidisciplinary undergraduate education reforms, including modular curricula and skill-based courses.
• Drafted the Karnataka Shikshana Ayoga Bill, 2022 and Karnataka State Higher Education Institutions Bill, 2022.
• Oversaw the development and rollout of the Unified University and College Management System (UUCMS)—an integrated digital platform implemented across 23 state universities and over 3,800 affiliated colleges.

• Served as Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).
• Introduced a robust online property tax collection system, improving transparency and increasing municipal revenues.
• Improved monitoring systems for road construction and maintenance, reducing duplication of work and unnecessary expenditure.
• Oversaw the construction of 7 solid waste processing plants and 17 biomethanation plants in Bengaluru to strengthen waste management.
• Enhanced coordination among civic agencies such as BWSSB, BESCOM, Traffic Police and BDA to ensure timely completion of urban projects.

• As Principal Secretary, Social Welfare Department, implemented the SC/ST Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan Act (2013) and Rules (2017) effectively across departments.
• Established a special monitoring cell to track allocation, release, and utilisation of funds for welfare programmes.
• Introduced entrepreneurship initiatives including AIRAVATHA (radio taxi employment), SAMRUDDHI (retail franchise support), and UNNATI (startup and innovation support with seed funding up to ₹50 lakh).
• Oversaw the functioning of around 850 residential schools serving over 1.55 lakh students and 2,100+ hostels supporting nearly 2 lakh SC/ST students across Karnataka.

After a distinguished career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS)^[2], G. Kumar Naik entered electoral politics by joining the Indian National Congress^[3]. Drawing on decades of administrative experience, he sought to address issues of regional inequality, rural development^[4], and social welfare^[5] through public representation.

In the 2024 Indian general election^[6], Kumar Naik contested from the Raichur (ST) Lok Sabha constituency^[7] in Karnataka as the candidate of the Indian National Congress. He was elected to the 18th Lok Sabha, defeating the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)^[8] candidate Raja Amareshwara NaikRaja Amareshwara Naik^[9].

In Parliament, Kumar Naik serves as a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications^[10] and Information Technology. He has regularly attended the meetings of the committee and maintains a high attendance record^[11] in the Lok Sabha.

He is regarded as one of the more active Members of Parliament from Karnataka, frequently raising questions and participating in parliamentary debates. In his interventions, he has consistently highlighted key issues concerning Karnataka^[12], particularly the development needs of the Kalyana Karnataka^[13] region and his constituency, Raichur.

Kumar Naik also engages actively with the Union Government, meeting, consulting, and corresponding with various Union Ministers^[14] to advocate for projects^[15], infrastructure, and financial support for the state^[16]. His parliamentary work focuses on securing greater investment, development projects, and policy attention^[17][18] for Karnataka, especially for historically underdeveloped regions.

As a Member of Parliament from the Indian National Congress, G. Kumar Naik has also participated in several panel discussions on national news television channels, where he articulates and defends his party’s position on key public issues. His interventions largely focus on public policy, governance, and constitutional matters. He has also been a panelist at BBC’s World Questions^[19] debate held in Bengaluru, where he engaged in discussions on issues of national and international relevance.