Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday received a garland made of free bus tickets. The unique gesture was a way to express gratitude for free travel from a female law student.

A first-year law student from Arasikere presented a garland made from free bus tickets to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The student, MA Jayashree, offered the garland during an election campaign attended by CM Siddaramaiah.

While presenting the garland, Jayashree said, "Thanks to the Congress government's free travel initiative, which you implemented as Chief Minister. I have been able to pursue my law studies without any financial strain. Therefore, I kept all the free tickets and made this garland."

She further expressed, "I have been waiting for months for an opportunity to present it to you. When I heard you were coming to Arasikere today, I ran here with the garland in one breath."

After she expressed her gratitude to the CM, she received blessings from him.

Notably, women in the state of Karnataka have free travel services on non-premium services of the state-run Road Transport Corporations (RTCs). This benefit has been introduced under the Shakti scheme, launched by the Congress government in Karnataka on June 11, 2023. It is one of five poll guarantees made by the government.

The beneficiaries of the scheme are women and girls students who are eligible for free travel on government buses. Women can apply for a Shakti smart card by registering on the Seva Sindhu government portal.

Earlier, the Chief Minister during the launch of the Shakti scheme explained that there are no middlemen to avail of these schemes and will reach the beneficiaries directly.
The Chief Minister released the logo of the Shakti scheme and smart card in pink colour.