‘Bengaluru Metro unaffected by Shakti Yojana’: Minister Ramalinga Reddy refutes PM’s statement
Bengaluru: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement that Bengaluru Metro services will be affected by the implementation of the Shakti Yojana guarantee scheme, which gives women free travel facility in buses, calling it unscientific.
Reddy, in a statement issued on Monday, clarified that between June 11, 2023, when the Shakti Yojana was implemented in Karnataka, and May 20, 2024 up to 67.34 crore women in Bengaluru had traveled using the benefits of the scheme. Presenting the figures related to the Metro passengers, the minister said that the number of passengers had hiked from 1.65 crore in January 2023 to 2 crore in April 2024, which was a 30 per cent increase over a period of 15 months. The revenue of Bengaluru Metro had also increased from Rs 39.15 crore to Rs 51.71 crore during said period. There was an average increase of 35 lakh in the monthly passengers in the Bengaluru Metro from 2023 to 2024, while the revenue had seen an increase of Rs 1.1 crore, Reddy added in the statement.
Pointing that these figures show the Metro unaffected by the new transport scheme of the state government but thriving in spite of the Shakti Yojana, the minister questioned the validity of the PM’s statement.
Reddy added that the transport system had grown, with an addition of new buses and staff members, following the implementation of the guarantee scheme, and was receiving positive feedback from the media. All of these were evidence to the success of the Shakti Yojana, the Transport Minister has said.
Wondering openly if the PM’s statement was made with an intention of demeaning the successful implementation of the Shakti Yojana by the Congress government or if it was due to lack of data, Reddy added that it was unbecoming of the PM to criticize the project that had strengthened the transport system as well as the women passengers. The minister, however, has critically stated that it would also be unfair to blame PM Modi for making a prejudiced statement as Modi was trying desperately to develop an illusion among the people that the projects of only the BJP were beneficial for the people and was providing false information on Congress projects. Expressing confidence in the people and their knowledge about things that mattered, Reddy said governments should focus on working for the benefit of the people rather than indulging in petty politics.
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Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 pm as BJP members protest slogans against PM Modi at Congress rally
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Monday amid uproar from Treasury benches over slogans raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a Congress rally in Delhi on Sunday.
Immediately after papers were laid in the Upper House, Leader of the House and Union Minister J P Nadda condemned the Congress for the slogans, saying they reflected the party's thinking.
"With pain and an agitated heart, I want to share before the House that yesterday in the Congress party rally, slogans were shouted 'Modi teri kabr khudegi, aaj nahi to kal khudegi' (Modi's grave will be dug.. if not today, then tomorrow). This type of slogan reflects the Congress party's thinking and mindset," Nadda said.
Describing the slogans as "condemnable," Nadda said Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi should apologise to the nation.
"Congress has stooped to a low level in politics, and it is unimaginable," he added.
The remarks triggered an uproar in the House, prompting Deputy Chairman Harivansh to adjourn proceedings till 12 noon.
