Free bus travel for women: Karnataka to spend Rs 4,300 in FY24, Rs 6,000 cr in FY25

Bengaluru: The free bus travel scheme for women will likely cost the state government nearly Rs 4,300 crore in the current fiscal year, over 40 per cent more than the budget estimate of Rs 2,800 crore, a well-placed source in the government said. 

In his budget speech, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government had spent Rs 3,000 crore on the scheme, which had benefited over 155 crore women so far. 

The Shakti scheme, which allows local women to travel for free in all non-premium government buses within Karnataka, is the only over-utilised of the state government's five guarantees. 

Besides Rs 2,800 crore, the government has given the four Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) motor vehicle tax exemptions worth Rs 580 crore. So the outgo for the Shakti scheme has been Rs 3,380 crore. This is expected to cross well over Rs 4,000 crore, the source added. 

Official data shows that the Shakti scheme cost the government Rs 3,678 crore from June 11, 2023, until February 15, 2024. More than 65 lakh women travel for free under the scheme every day, costing the government Rs 15.45 crore. 

If this trend holds good, the scheme will cost another Rs 695 crore, and the overall outgo will reach Rs 4,300 crore. 

While the government has earmarked Rs 5,015 crore for the scheme, the source said the expenditure would likely reach Rs 6,000 crore. 

The government will build automated driving test tracks at Udupi, Chikkaballapur, Nelamangala, Madikeri, Madhugiri and Hunsur for Rs 36 crore, and seizing yards at Devanahalli and Tumakuru at Rs 10 crore. Automated test centres will be developed at 32 places under public-private partnership to facilitate fitness testing of all transport vehicles seeking renewal of fitness certificate. 

The Transport Department will also roll out a scheme to digitise documents of all registered vehicles. Records in Bengaluru central, Belagavi, Mangaluru and Bhalki divisions will be digitised in 2024-25 on a pilot basis. 

Railway overbridges will be built for Rs 350 crore at Kukkarahalli and KRS Road in Mysuru, Shivamogga-Bommanakatte, Mallapur (Gadag district), Channapatna-Byrapatna and Chikkaballapur. 

Karnataka will contribute Rs 9,915 crore to the nine railway lines being constructed at Rs 12,147 crore. It will also bear 30% of the land acquisition for the construction of Satellite Town Ring Road in Bengaluru. 

The government has earmarked Rs 2,000 crore to develop 1,700 km of state highways.