Free bus travel for women on all government buses in Karnataka from June 11: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru: In a major announcement aimed at promoting women's empowerment and ensuring safe and accessible transportation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has declared the implementation of free bus travel for women across the state, starting from the 11th of this month. This significant initiative, known as the Shakti Guarantee scheme, aims to provide women with a cost-free mode of transportation on all government buses, excluding AC buses and sleeper buses.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made the announcement during a press conference held following a cabinet meeting. He emphasized the government's commitment to empowering women and facilitating their mobility by removing financial barriers associated with bus travel. The free bus travel scheme is not limited to a specific category of women, as it extends its benefits to all women passengers.
Under the Shakti Guarantee scheme, women of all ages, backgrounds, and occupations will be able to commute without incurring any expenses on government-operated buses.
However, it is important to note that the scheme excludes AC buses and sleeper buses from its coverage. While these categories of buses will not be part of the free bus travel initiative, women passengers can still avail themselves of the benefits on all other government-operated buses including BMTC buses in the state capital.
The CM further added that 50% seats of all government buses will be reserved for men passengers to maintain balance.
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BJP does not follow democratic norms: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi
Kozhikode(Kerala) (PTI): Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived on a two day visit to Kerala after her maiden electoral win, on Saturday attacked the BJP by accusing it of not following usual democratic norms even in political fights.
Priyanka compared the BJP's behaviour with the landslides that hit Wayanad in July, saying just like the natural disaster the saffron party's conduct knows no rules, offers no explanations and follows no democratic norms that are normally adhered to in political fights.
"The political challenges we face (from the BJP) today are like the landslides. There are no rules. There are no explanations."
"The behaviour of the ruling party (at the Centre), the BJP, knows no democratic norms, not even those we normally adhere to in a political fight," she said while speaking at a joint public meeting, with her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, at Mukkam here.
She further contended that institutions were being destroyed leading to the wavering of the people's basic faith in the electoral process and "the institutions that held our country together".
Priyanka assured the people of Wayanad LS constituency that she was in the Parliament for them and it is their voice that she will raise there.
"It is your voice that I will raise, it is your problems that I will try to resolve and it is your beliefs, values and aspirations that I will stand for each and every day from now till the end," she said.
After the joint public meeting at Mukkam in Thiruvambadi assembly constituency here, receptions will be held for her at Karulai in Nilambur, Wandoor, and Edavanna in Eranad during the day, the party said.
The Wayanad constituency comprises seven assembly segments of Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district.
Priyanka had scored her maiden electoral victory by winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a huge margin of 4,10,931 votes, which is bigger than the lead her brother Rahul secured when he won from the constituency during the Lok Sabha general elections held early this year.
