Karnataka Women Record More Than 100 Crore Free Bus Rides Under Government's Shakti Scheme

Women in Karnataka have benefitted from the popular state-sponsored Shakti scheme, Karnataka's free bus travel for women. This can be said after Karnataka's transport department recently revealed that the Shakti scheme has clocked 100 crore users since the launch of the scheme in June this year. 'Shakti' is one of the Congress' five guarantee schemes promised to people ahead of the state assembly elections.

The scheme allows women domiciled in Karnataka to travel free of cost on non-premium buses plying within the state. To avail of the scheme, women passengers need to show their local IDs to authorities.

Statistics from four state-run Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) showed that between 11 June and 22 November, 1,004,756,184 rides were taken by women passengers. Women constituted 56.2% of the total 178.6 crore passengers since June 11, including four RTCs in Karnataka: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).

The highest number of women passengers travelled on BMTC buses (32.69 crore), followed by KSRTC (30.12 crore), NWKRTC (23.37 crore), and KKRTC (14.28 crore) during this period.

During this period, the total value of tickets issued under the scheme amounted to Rs 2,397. KSRTC issued tickets worth Rs 900.2 crore, followed by NWKRTC (Rs 600.6 crore), KKRTC (Rs 475.9 crore), and BMTC (Rs 420.8 crore).

The lower value of tickets under the Shakti scheme in BMTC is because women undertook short trips in Bengaluru.

On November 22, a total of 1.12 crore passengers travelled in the four RTCs, with 66 lakh of them being women (58.5%).

Transport department officials said the Shakti scheme received an overwhelming response and also boosted religious tourism in the state, increasing the spending power of women and enabling them to go to work.

The state is also planning to issue smart cards to women passengers under the Shakti scheme. While launching the scheme on June 11, the government said smart cards would be issued in three months, but the deadline was extended to December 2023.

Last month, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a plan to procure a total of 5,675 buses for the four RTCs in the state.

Benefits provided under eligible women beneficiaries under Karnataka Shakti Scheme:-

• Free of Cost Bus Ride across Karnataka.
• No ticket amount will be Charged to any Women traveling in Government-Run Buses.

How to avail the benefit of free of cost bus ride under Shakti Scheme in Karnataka?

Smart Card is mandatorily needed to avail of the benefit of free of cost bus rides under Shakti Scheme. Women Beneficiary can apply for Smart Card under Shakti Scheme for free bus rides by filling Online Application Form.

Online Application Form for Smart Card under Shakti Scheme is available on the Karnataka Seva Sindhu Portal
Till the women beneficiaries receive their Smart Card, they can show any below-mentioned photographed identity card in the bus to avail free of cost bus ride:-
Aadhar Card
Driving License
Voter Identity Card
Or Any Other Photographed Identity card

How to Apply for a Smart Card under the Shakti Scheme?

• Eligible Women Beneficiaries can apply for Smart Card for Free Bus Ride under the Karnataka Shakti Scheme by filling out the Online Application Form.
• Online Application Form for Smart Card under Shakti Scheme of Karnataka Government is available on Seva Sindhu Portal
• Women Beneficiaries have to Register themselves first.
• After Registration, log in on the same portal.
• Fill the Application Form of Shakti Scheme Smart Card and upload the required documents.
• Application Forms will be verified by the concerned officials.
• After due verification smart card for free bus ride will be provided to every women beneficiary of Karnataka State.
• Women beneficiary can avail the free of cost bus service till she get a smart card by showing any photo identity proof.
• Free of Cost Bus Service will only provided within the State boundary of Karnataka.
• Women Beneficiary can only avail the benefit of Free Bus Service in Government of Karnataka Run Buses.
• We request our users to bookmark our Karnataka Shakti Scheme Page or subscribe to the scheme on our Scheme Subscription Page to get regular updates about Karnataka Shakti Scheme.