K'taka govt issues orders for 'Shakti' scheme offering women free bus rides with conditions attached
Bengaluru, Jun 5: The Karnataka government on Monday issued orders for the implementation of 'Shakti' scheme under which women can avail free travel in state-run buses with certain conditions, including reservation of 50 per cent seats for men, from June 11.
The Congress in its election manifesto had promised free rides for women in government buses and said this was one of the five poll guarantees that would come into effect the day it comes to power in the state.
According to the order, the beneficiaries of the scheme should be a domicile of Karnataka. Along with women, transgenders can also make use of the 'Shakti' scheme.
The beneficiaries of this scheme can travel only within the state and not in any inter-state buses.
All luxury buses such as Rajahamsa, Non-AC sleeper, Vajra, Vayu Vajra, Airavat, Airavat Club Class, Airavat Gold Class, Ambari, Ambari Dream Class, Ambari Utsav Fly Bus, EV Power Plus have been excluded from the purview of the scheme.
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The government said the benefits of the scheme can be availed in the buses operated by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).
Other than the BMTC, 50 per cent of seats will be reserved for men in the remaining three state road transport corporations -- KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC.
The order also stated that the reimbursement to road transport corporations would be made on the basis of actual distance travelled by women passengers.
In the next three months, women can apply for the Shakti Smart Card through the 'Seva Sindhu' government portal.
Till the Shakti Smart Cards are issued, beneficiaries can use the identity cards issued either by the Centre or state government, the order further stated.
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'Finally committed murder': Teen after killing doctor inside Delhi nursing home, held
New Delhi, Oct 3: A doctor was shot dead inside a nursing home in southeast Delhi's Kalindi Kunj area early Thursday, with the police apprehending a 16-year-old boy for allegedly committing the crime, officials said.
The apprehended juvenile, along with another teen, came for first-aid treatment around 1 am to the three-bedded Nima Hospital located in a narrow lane of Khadda Colony of the area, and allegedly shot dead Dr Javed Akhtar, a Unani practitioner (BUMS), they said.
The main accused, aged around 16 years, after allegedly committing the crime uploaded a post on a social media platform with his photograph and a caption: "Kar diya 2024 mein murder" (Finally committed murder in 2024).
Sources said the police have also questioned a female nurse of the nursing home and her husband in connection with the case.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) S K Jain said the murder was a targeted killing executed by two boys living in the same locality.
One of them has been apprehended from Hapur but the motive behind the crime is yet to be ascertained, he said.
Jain said teams are making efforts to nab the other accused, who also appears to be a minor.
He further said the duo met a compounder for dressing and later shot the Unani practitioner in his cabin.
The apprehended juvenile is the one who allegedly opened fire at the doctor. His act was also captured in a CCTV camera installed in the nursing home, Jain added.
The officer said six teams were formed and CCTV footage was collected from inside and around the nursing home. The teams of crime branch also helped in nabbing the main accused, he said.
According to another police officer, Akhtar was found in a chair oozing blood from the head inside the nursing home.
He is survived by his wife, who is also a Unani practitioner, and two children. The family resided in Shaheen Bagh.
Of the two accused, one had got his toe bandaged by the compounder, before the shooting, the officer added.
Abid, an employee at the nursing home, said Akhtar had been working there for the past two years. On the day of the incident, his duty began at 8 pm on Wednesday.
Gajala Parveen and Mohammad Kamil, the nursing staff who were on night duty, heard the gunshot. Parveen rushed inside the cabin and found Akhtar sitting still in a pool of blood.
"It was an unprovoked shooting. It also emerged that the accused did a reconnaissance a day earlier," the officer said.
