Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Feb 23: The Karnataka government has released official data on the beneficiaries and expenditure of the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women across the state.
According to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), a total of 397.97 crore women passengers have availed of the scheme since its launch on June 11, 2023, until February 21, 2025. The ticket value of these journeys amounts to Rs 9,743.09 crore.
This figure includes passengers from KSRTC, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North West Karnataka Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and Kalyan Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC). On February 21, 2025, alone, 74.07 lakh women travelled on RTC buses, with the ticket value amounting to Rs 20.19 crore.
During the scheme's initial phase, from June 11 to June 30, 2023, 10.54 crore women passengers availed of the benefit, with a total ticket value of Rs 248.30 crore. The numbers continued to rise, reaching 19.63 crore passengers in July 2023 and 20.03 crore in August, with ticket values of Rs 453.07 crore and Rs 459.10 crore, respectively.
However, a slight decline was observed in the following months, with 18.95 crore passengers in September 2023, 18.26 crore in October, and 18.25 crore in November. Between December 2023 and June 2024, the number of beneficiaries ranged between 18 crore and 19 crore, before increasing again to 20.28 crore in June 2024.
The highest recorded number of passengers under the scheme was in December 2024, when 21.28 crore women travelled, with a total ticket value of Rs 515.69 crore.
In Bengaluru alone, 126.79 crore women passengers have used government-run city buses under the scheme, with the corresponding ticket value amounting to Rs 1,686.17 crore.
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has criticised the state government for delays in reimbursing the transport corporations, warning of potential consequences. However, the state government has dismissed these concerns, stating that the situation is under control and pending payments will be cleared soon.