A first-year law student from Arasikere, MA Jayashree, presented a garland made from free bus tickets to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an election campaign. While presenting the garland, Jayashree expressed her gratitude for the Congress government’s free travel initiative, which she said has allowed her to pursue her law studies without any financial strain. She further expressed that she had been waiting for months for an opportunity to present it to the Chief Minister. After she expressed her gratitude to the CM, she received blessings from him.
Notably, women in the state of Karnataka have free travel services on non-premium services of the state-run Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) under the Shakti scheme, launched by the Congress government in Karnataka on June 11, 2023. It is one of five poll guarantees made by the government. The beneficiaries of the scheme are women and girls students who are eligible for free travel on government buses. Women can apply for a Shakti smart card by registering on the Seva Sindhu government portal.
