The Karnataka government has introduced free bus rides for women across the state, and the scheme has come into effect from June 11. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah officially declared the implementation of the free bus ride program during a press conference held in Nanjangud, near Mysuru, on Saturday, June 10. Emphasising the government's commitment to supporting women's rights, he outlined the details of the ‘Shakti’ scheme, the first of the five poll guarantees.
Under the Shakti scheme, women will be able to travel without incurring any charges on government-owned buses operating within Karnataka. However, it should be noted that the free bus ride facility is limited to destinations located within a 20-kilometre radius of the state's borders. While the Shakti scheme offers free bus travel within Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said that women seeking inter-state transportation will need to pay the applicable fares. For instance, women intending to travel to destinations such as Tirupati will be able to avail themselves of the free service only up to the Mulbagal border (in Kolar district), which marks the boundary with Andhra Pradesh.
The free service would be provided in all Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses across the state, excluding air-conditioned and sleeper buses. 50% of seats on buses will be reserved for male passengers.
The official launch of the program will take place at Vidhana Soudha on Sunday, June 11 with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy leading the inauguration ceremony.
Ramalinga Reddy said that women will be required to present official identification documents such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, driving licenses, or any other authorised proof of identity to bus conductors. He added that the transport department plans to issue smart cards to women after a three-month period.
To ensure the successful implementation of the Congress’s remaining four guarantees, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah provided insights into their launch timelines. The ‘Gruha Jyoti’ scheme, granting 200 free units of electricity to domestic consumers, will commence from July 1, with Kalaburagi serving as the starting point. Simultaneously, the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme, entailing the provision of 10 kilograms of free rice or food grains to below-poverty-line (BPL) families, will be inaugurated from Mysuru.
CM Siddaramaiah also shed light on the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, scheduled for launch on August 16 in Belagavi. Under this initiative, the head women of households will receive monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,000. Applications for the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme will be accepted from July 15 to August 15, ensuring a systematic process leading up to the official launch.
The ‘Yuva Nidhi’ scheme, designed to provide unemployment allowances to graduates and diploma holders, will extend Rs 3,000 to graduates and Rs 1,500 to diploma holders who passed their exams in 2022-23. Beneficiaries failing to secure employment within six months of passing their exams will receive an allowance for 24 months until they find suitable employment in the government or private sector.