Karnataka's Shakti Scheme: 398 Crore Women Benefit from Free Bus Travel Since June 2023

Bengaluru- The Karnataka government has released detailed statistics about its Shakti Scheme, a program offering free bus travel to women throughout the state. The data reveals that since the program's launch on June 11, 2023, nearly 398 crore women have utilized the service, representing a ticket value of approximately Rs 9,743 crore.

Breaking down the usage patterns, the program saw significant fluctuations in ridership. After initial figures of 10.54 crore passengers in June 2023, numbers peaked at 19.63 crore in July and 20.03 crore in August of that year. A subsequent decline occurred through fall 2023, with passenger counts hovering between 18-19 crore monthly until mid-2024. December 2024 marked the highest utilization, with 21.28 crore passengers and a ticket value of Rs 515.69 crore.

The program encompasses all major state transport corporations, including KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, and KKRTC. In Bengaluru specifically, the scheme has served 126.79 crore women passengers, with tickets valued at Rs 1,686.17 crore. Recent data shows that on February 21, 2025, alone, 74.07 lakh women used the service, representing a ticket value of Rs 20.19 crore.

The initiative has become a point of political contention, with the opposition BJP raising concerns about delayed reimbursements to transport corporations. The state government has responded by dismissing these criticisms as unfounded, assuring that pending payments will be addressed promptly.