Shakti scheme ridership nears 00 crore in Karnataka

Bengaluru: The Congress govt's flagship Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women, has recorded nearly 400 crore passengers since its launch on June 11, 2023, with a total ticket value of Rs 9,743 crore.
According to data released by KSRTC, these figures include passengers from KSRTC itself, BMTC, North West Karnataka Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC). On Feb 21 alone, 74 lakh women travelled under the scheme, with a ticket value of Rs 20 crore. The scheme witnessed an initial surge, with 10.5 crore passengers in June 2023 and 19.6 crore the following month. However, the numbers fluctuated later, dipping to 18.2 crore in Nov 2023 before peaking at 21.2 crore in Dec 2024, when the ticket value hit Rs 516 crore.
In Bengaluru, 127 crore women have benefited from the scheme since its inception, with a ticket value of Rs 1,686 crore, according to data.
Meanwhile, BJP slammed the govt for failing to reimburse transport corporations, warning of "serious consequences". However, the ruling Congress dismissed the allegations as "mere propaganda", saying the pending payments will be released soon.