Congress-led Karnataka govt all set to launch free bus travel scheme

Bengaluru, June 11: Congress-ruled Karnataka government is all set to launch the Shakthi scheme on Sunday which facilitates free bus travel for all women in state owned Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and other corporations.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will turn 'conductor' to inaugurate the scheme and he will issue free tickets to women travelling from Majestic BMTC bus stop to Vidhana Soudha. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy will be present on the occasion.

The police will be deputed in all BMTC buses after inauguration of the scheme in Bengaluru to avoid any confusion and untoward incidents until the scheme takes off smoothly. All eight DCPs in Bengaluru have been directed to ensure peace as it is expected that miscreants would create confusion to get political mileage. The jurisdictional police and 2,000 home guards are roped in for the purpose. The Hoysala vehicles will also patrol on roads.

The scheme will be flagged off by the district in-charge ministers at all the district headquarters across Karnataka. The state government had extended the scheme for those women who travel to 20 kilometers distance from the border to other neighbouring states.

The government will provide smart cards for the women and until then they can travel by showing the documents such as Aadhaar, driving licence, voter ID which has local address. It is estimated that about 40 lakh women travel in state owned buses everyday and the number is likely to go up after the launch of the scheme.

Siddaramaiah has stated that the government will require Rs 59,000 crore annually to implement the five guarantees promised during the election. The financial requirement is Rs 41,000 crore for the remaining months of the current year. The Congress government is launching five guarantees in a phased manner and made announcements in this regard. Free bus travel is the first scheme to get inaugurated.

The state has promised 10 kilograms of free rice to every member of BPL family under Anna Bhagya scheme, Rs 2,000 allowance for women heads under Ghriha Lakshmi scheme, Rs 3,000 allowance for two years for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders of this academic year and 200 units of free power for all households under Griha Jyothi scheme.