Karnataka's Free Student Bus Travel Welcomed, but Funding Concerns Raised
Karnataka's Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced a new policy providing free bus travel to all students across the state, which has been welcomed as a measure to boost educational access. The policy builds on the existing Shakti Scheme for women and affects approximately 10 lakh students currently using concessional passes. Transport officials have flagged concerns about financial sustainability, citing ₹4,573.75 crore in pending reimbursements from the government under the existing Shakti Scheme.
Karnataka's newly appointed Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has announced free bus travel for students statewide, expanding beyond the existing Shakti Scheme that already provides free travel to women. Currently, approximately 10 lakh students use concessional bus passes issued by state road transport corporations (RTCs), generating around ₹70 crore in annual revenue. While transport experts and officials acknowledge the social benefits of the scheme for rural and economically disadvantaged students, they have raised significant concerns about financial sustainability. The four RTCs are currently owed ₹4,573.75 crore in pending reimbursements from the government for the Shakti Scheme between June 2023 and February 2026, with operational costs continuing to rise. Officials argue that timely government reimbursement is essential for the scheme's success and for RTCs to maintain service quality, modernize fleets, and expand rural connectivity.
What's missing
The article does not specify the exact implementation timeline for the free student travel scheme or provide details on how the government plans to address the existing ₹4,573.75 crore reimbursement backlog before implementing the new policy.
What different sources said
- The HinduCenter
Free travel for students welcomed while funding issues is flagged
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