CM issues 500th crore ticket to a lady passenger

Bengaluru:  Shakti, one of the five Guarantee Schemes of the State Government, that  provides free travel facility to women passengers in the State-owned Road Transport Corporations buses, set a new milestone yesterday, with 500th crore ticket. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah symbolically issued the 500th crore ticket to a woman passenger, with Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Transport Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy, aboard a KSRTC bus.

Latha, a factory worker, was the lucky woman to receive 500th crore ticket, along with a felicitation. Ilkal sarees and sweets were distributed to fellow women passengers travelling in the same bus. A woman beneficiary of the scheme, in a goodwill gesture, distributed khadak rotti and shenga holige to the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues.

Addressing the passengers, CM Siddaramaiah said, Shakti scheme was introduced to empower women to lead a life of self-reliance without relying on their family head, either for the purpose of employment, education or medical treatment. It is a matter of pride that the scheme is steering ahead successfully.

“Truly, Shakti scheme has empowered women by realising their dreams,”  he added.

 Shakti is one of the five schemes of State Government that was the first to be rolled out on June 11, 2023. Since then, KSRTC, Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) buses have collectively ferried 497.79 crore women passengers. The value of ticket issued is Rs. 497.79 crore.