Free bus travel for women to continue in Karnataka: Minister Ramalinga Reddy
Bengaluru, Aug 16: Karnataka Transport Minister R Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday asserted that Shakti scheme offering free ride in non-luxury government buses to women in the state will continue for the next 10 years.
His clarification comes following some rumours being spread in the social media against the scheme.
''I would like to tell the people of Karnataka, especially the school children, that some people are spreading lies that one of the poll guarantees 'Shakti' scheme will be stopped. Trusting the rumours, some people went to ask for a bus pass,'' Reddy told reporters here.
He said, ''Shakti scheme is going to remain for at least 10 years. There is no need for women to buy passes. Some people, especially those from a specific party, are trying to play mischief by spreading lies in the social media.'' As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with the ministers and MLAs from Bengaluru, reporters asked Reddy whether there was any discussion on the stalled municipal level public works in the city.
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The minister said Special Investigation Teams are probing the works taken in the past (during the BJP tenure) and hence there was not much discussion on the subject.
''The SITs have been mandated to complete their investigation within a month. Out of 30 days, 10 days have already lapsed. So, there was not much discussions on public works. Bills of only those contractors who have done good work will be cleared,'' the minister said.
To a question, he said there was no talks on the Lok Sabha elections. In fact, discussions took place regarding the Bengaluru Municipal Corporation election, which is likely to be held in December, the minister said.
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Five killed, 11 injured as tempo carrying family collides with bus in UP's Bahraich
Bahraich (UP), Apr 15 (PTI): Five members of a family, including two children, were killed and 11 others injured when a double-decker bus collided head-on with a tempo on the Bahraich-Gonda highway on Tuesday, an official said.
All the victims were relatives and were heading to attend a family function when the accident occurred, District Magistrate Monika Rani said.
The incident took place near Payagpur when the tempo carrying 16 people from Hirai Purwa village collided with the bus coming from the opposite direction.
"The family was heading to Koluhwa village to attend a wedding reception. The tempo driver was trying to overtake a tractor when it collided with the bus,” Monika Rani told reporters.
The deceased have been identified as Amjad (45), Fahad (5), Azim (12), Maryam (65), and Munni (45). All five died on the spot, the official said.
The injured, all women and children, have been admitted to the Maharishi Balark district hospital in Bahraich. According to hospital sources, their condition is stable but some of them remain under observation.
Speaking to reporters at the hospital, the mother of one of the deceased children said, "We had booked the tempo to attend the wedding reception of Mohammad Yakub in Koluhwa. All of us were from the same family. Five of our family members have died, while several others are in serious condition."
Monika Rani and SP Ramnayan Singh visited the hospital to take stock of the situation, sources said.
“We have instructed the medical staff to provide all necessary treatment to the victims," Monika Rani said. ASP (City) Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha said the injured have been identified as Zainab (58), Nisha (36), Saba (15), Wajid (4), Sania (22), Tabassum (18), Alsifa (50), Wajihat (18), Aleemunisha (40), Najam (45) and Zaituna (65), all residents of Hirai Pur village.
Tempo driver Amjad, who was killed in the accident, was also a resident of the same village, the officer said. Kushwaha said the double-decker bus, which plies on the Delhi-Gonda route, was heading to Gonda after dropping passengers. There were no passengers on the bus at the time of the accident.
The driver of the bus, along with the vehicle, has been taken into custody, the officer said, adding that police have launched a probe after sending the bodies for autopsy.
