Mangaluru: Karnataka’s flagship “Shakti scheme,” which offers free bus travel to women, has reached a significant milestone — a total of 500 crore free tickets have been issued to women passengers across the state since the scheme was launched.

To mark this achievement, a special celebration was held at the KSRTC bus station in Mangaluru, where buses were decorated, rituals were performed, and sweets and flowers were distributed to female passengers.

The scheme was launched on June 11, 2023, as one of the state government’s five key guarantee programmes. Its primary goal is to empower women by making transportation more accessible and reducing their financial burden. Over the past two years, the scheme has benefited working women, female students from low-income backgrounds, and countless others.

Speaking on the occasion, MLC Ivan D’Souza stated, “The Shakti scheme is a model initiative globally that promotes women’s empowerment and self-reliance. It has improved the financial capability of women and has helped many households in the state. Women can now travel peacefully for religious, personal, and professional purposes.”

He also emphasized that many women, especially from the working and middle class, often have to travel from one district to another for jobs or education. The scheme has significantly supported such women, particularly students from underprivileged communities.

Several prominent local leaders and officials were present at the event, including Mangaluru Taluk Guarantee Implementation Committee President Surendra Kambli, Mulki Taluk Committee President Alwyn Cutinho, former MLAs J.R. Lobo and Harish Kumar, and committee members Padmaraj, Shashidhar Hegde, Alester Cunha, Shantala Gatti, Neeta, Vidya, Jayanti, Ritesh, Nawaz, and KSRTC Mangaluru Divisional Controller Rajesh.