Bangalore, July. 14: As announced before the elections, the Congress government has implemented Shakti Yojana to provide free travel to women in government buses across the state. After the implementation of the scheme, the demand for buses in the state has increased and the Karnataka government has decided to purchase 4,000 new buses.
Besides, the decision to hire 13,000 officers including drivers, conductors and mechanics in the transport department was announced on Thursday. The scheme was one of the five guarantees that were part of the Congress party’s election manifesto. The project was launched last month. Good response is getting in the state.
Talking about this, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday, “KSRTC’s ‘income’ has increased since June 11, when the ‘Shakti’ scheme, which provides free travel to women in non-luxury government buses in Karnataka, has increased. The state government will bear the cost of KSRTC for the Shakti scheme. The project will require Rs 2,900 crore in the next nine months. , we will give it.”
“We are going to hire 13,000 drivers, conductors and mechanics for KSRTC. We will buy 4,000 new buses from Shakti Yojana so that students and men don’t suffer,” he said in the assembly.
Stating that more than 18 crore women have traveled in the state under this scheme till July 12, he said, “Women are happy. 18 crore women have traveled. Isn’t this empowerment of women…? Money saved. Now women are traveling to temples and their parents’ houses.”
The decision to buy new buses and hire more staff comes amid experts calling on the government to improve the public transport and mass transit system. KSRTC will get new staff soon. Meanwhile, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is still facing severe staff shortage.
