Shakti Yojana: Over 3 crore women avail free bus travel in one Week

Bengaluru: The newly implemented “Shakti Yojana,” which guarantees free travel on government buses for women in Karnataka, has witnessed an overwhelming response as over 3 crore women have availed themselves of this facility within just one week.

The scheme, one of the five guarantees promised by the Congress government, had generated both excitement and skepticism prior to its launch. However, the data from the first week of operations suggests that the scheme is a hit with women.

The scheme seems to have particularly benefited working-class women who have enthusiastically embraced the opportunity. On the first day, a staggering total of 5,71,023 women availed themselves of the free bus travel, spending approximately Rs 1,40,22,878, with zero-value tickets issued.

The second day witnessed 41,34,726 women using the buses, followed by 5,71,023 women on the third day. By June 17, the distribution of zero-value tickets had reached an impressive 54,30,150 women, amounting to Rs 12,88,81,618.

Thus, throughout the week, a remarkable total of 3.12 crore women have traveled on government buses across the state, taking advantage of the Shakti Yojana. The distribution of zero-value tickets has cost the government a substantial sum of Rs 70.28 crore.

Moreover, weekends have witnessed an influx of women visiting various religious sites across the state, such as Dharmasthala, Kukke Subrahmanya, Sringeri, and Golagummata, among others.

As the weekend coincided with Ashada Amavasya, women’s presence at bus stops and crowded buses was noticeable throughout the state. To accommodate the increased demand, transport organizations such as KSRTC, North West, and Kalyana Karnataka Corporations had increased their bus services to religious and tourist destinations. As a result, an estimated 55 lakh women traveled on Sunday alone, and the value of distributed zero tickets reached approximately Rs 13 crore.

With the surge in women passengers, demands have emerged to expand the number of government buses and increase the KSRTC crews to accommodate the growing influx of passengers. Some routes have become crowded to the extent that passengers are unable to board the buses.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy responded to the BJP’s criticisms by highlighting the surge of women’s participation in religious activities since the scheme’s introduction.

Reddy, in his tweet, attributed the Shakti Yojana’s success to empowering women and reinforcing “true Hindutva”.   “Congress is always committed to the protection and development of true Hindus,” he wrote.