₹6,600 crore for free bus rides in next Budget, says Ramalinga Reddy

The Transport Minister has said that the government will reserve funds for the Shakti scheme for women in the State

Updated - February 09, 2024 08:36 pm IST - KALABURAGI

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy addressing a gathering at a felicitation programme organised by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Employees Union in Kalaburagi on Friday.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy addressing a gathering at a felicitation programme organised by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Employees Union in Kalaburagi on Friday. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that the State government will reserve ₹6,600 crore for the Shakti scheme in the State Budget for 2024-25.

Speaking at a felicitation programme jointly organized by the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees Union and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation in Kalaburagi on Friday, he said that the scheme has benefitted nearly 150 crore women so far, with an average of 60 lakh women travelling every day.

Acknowledging the importance of the Shakti scheme, Mr. Reddy reiterated that the guarantee schemes launched by the Congress-led government remain a priority and the government will allocate adequate funds for them.

Despite financial challenges, the government is committed to prioritising public interest by ensuring continued transportation services under the Shakti scheme, he said and emphasised the need for cooperation among transport corporation employees for operational efficiency and to ensure profitability.

In the last eight years, although 14,000 employees retired from KSRTC, recruitment has not been conducted. Now, the government has initiated the recruitment process and appointment orders for 1,614 personnel selected under Article 371(J) will be issued on February 18, he said.

The department will add 5,800 new buses across the State, of which 475 buses will be for Kalyana Karnataka Road transport Corporation (KKRTC), he said.

Responding to demands from Kalaburagi South MLA Allamprabhu Patil, Mr. Reddy promised to take up construction of two new bus stands in Kalaburagi city and asked the officials to identify suitable land.

The Minister also confirmed that the wage revision for transport corporation officers and staff, which was initially scheduled for January 1, 2020, will now be made effective from March 17, 2023.

The employees have sought payment of salary revision arrears for 38 months (from January 1, 2020 to February 28, 2024) and the KSRTC Employees Union also submitted a memorandum with a charter of demands to the Minister during the function.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Sharanabasappa Darshanapur , MLAs Allamprabhu Patil and Kaneez Fatima and MLC Thippannappa Kamaknoor were present.

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