D K Shivakumar.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Karnataka's Congress government on Wednesday gave the strongest indication till date of potentially revisiting the popular Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for all women domiciled in the state.
It was one of the five guarantees rolled out by the Congress after it came to power in Karnataka last year.
On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar stated that many women had tweeted and emailed him about their willingness to pay, saying they don't want free bus travel.
"This guarantee was announced by Rahul Gandhi in Mangaluru. Some women (now) say they are ready to pay but conductors won't accept it. That's one class, comprising maybe 5-10 per cent. We will sit down with (Transport Minister) Ramalinga Reddy and discuss these things," he said after the inauguration of 20 Airavat Club Class seater buses at the Vidhana Soudha.
The deputy chief minister added that the government had reimbursed Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) for the Shakti scheme and was aware of issues about procurement and pricing of diesel, which would be resolved soon.
The Shakti scheme has been highly popular with a staggering 317.18 crore tickets worth Rs 7,656.33 crore issued since its launch on June 11, 2023.
It has also helped Karnataka's four Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) increase their daily trips from 1,58,909 to 1,72,333. Women now account for 58.12 per cent of the passengers.
Contacted by DH later, Reddy declined to comment on any potential changes to the Shakti scheme but emphasised that the government was committed to it and was reimbursing the RTCs regularly. "There are some dues but we are clearing them progressively," he said.
Reddy also mentioned that the government had given RTCs tax breaks to the tune of Rs 700 crore last year and would give "a little more" this year.