₹6,600 crore for free bus rides in next Budget, says Ramalinga Reddy

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy announces ₹6,600 crore allocation for the Shakti scheme in the State Budget 2024-25.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that the State government will reserve ₹6,600 crore for the Shakti scheme in the State Budget for 2024-25.

Speaking at a felicitation programme jointly organized by the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees Union and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation in Kalaburagi on Friday, he said that the scheme has benefitted nearly 150 crore women so far, with an average of 60 lakh women travelling every day.

Acknowledging the importance of the Shakti scheme, Mr. Reddy reiterated that the guarantee schemes launched by the Congress-led government remain a priority and the government will allocate adequate funds for them.

Despite financial challenges, the government is committed to prioritising public interest by ensuring continued transportation services under the Shakti scheme, he said and emphasised the need for cooperation among transport corporation employees for operational efficiency and to ensure profitability.

In the last eight years, although 14,000 employees retired from KSRTC, recruitment has not been conducted. Now, the government has initiated the recruitment process and appointment orders for 1,614 personnel selected under Article 371(J) will be issued on February 18, he said.

The department will add 5,800 new buses across the State, of which 475 buses will be for Kalyana Karnataka Road transport Corporation (KKRTC), he said.

Responding to demands from Kalaburagi South MLA Allamprabhu Patil, Mr. Reddy promised to take up construction of two new bus stands in Kalaburagi city and asked the officials to identify suitable land.