What is this, Shakti Yojana?
Karnataka's Congress
government introduced the Shakti Yojana, a flagship scheme aimed at promoting
women's empowerment by allowing them to travel free on non-luxury public
transport buses. While this initiative has been lauded for its positive impact
on women's mobility, it has also raised important questions about its
consequences for various segments of society.
Benefits of the Shakti
Scheme
The Shakti Scheme has
ushered in a range of benefits:
Greater Freedom of
Movement: By removing the cost barrier associated with travel, the scheme
empowers women and transgenders to move freely, facilitating better access to
education, employment opportunities, healthcare, and leisure.
Increased Ridership:
The scheme's popularity is evident in the significant rise in daily ridership.
Women are traveling more frequently and saving travel costs that can be
allocated to other essential needs. In the initial days more commute was to the
temple- Temple run!
Reduced Commute
Distance: Women who previously walked long distances daily are now able to use
public buses, making their daily commutes more convenient.
Impact on Different
Areas
Though the scheme had good
aim and purpose but it also adversely affecting the
The impact of the
Shakti Scheme varies across different areas.
Challenges for Students
and working women:
While the scheme
benefits many, it has created some challenges, particularly for students:
Overcrowding:
Due to the surge in passengers availing free travel, buses have become
increasingly crowded, making it difficult for students to find adequate space
during their daily commute to schools and colleges and for the working women.
Safety Concerns
The increased ridership
of women using public transportation has led to a need for stricter security
measures. In overcrowded buses, women may be vulnerable to harassment and may
feel uncomfortable traveling, especially during peak hours.
Few women members are
feeling humiliated by as they travel free. Swati, one of my colleagues said, “I
couldn’t tolerate the gaze of Conductor, so I paid for the ticket.”
Chaitra, another
colleague posted “Even though I paid for ticket I didn’t get seat :(
Economic Implications
No proper utilization
of the scheme:
Women members are not
utilising the service in a better way. For ex: They take ticket from Mysore to Bangalore,
but they get down in Maddur to have coffee, later again they take another bus
from Maddur. So, it’s a burden for Government in terms of economic.
The Shakti Scheme's impact
on Karnataka's transport bodies has economic consequences:
Financial Loss:
A CAG audit report highlighted that the government's failure to reimburse the
Road Transport Corporation for the concessions offered resulted in an
accumulated loss amounting to Rs 4,689.09 crore as of March 31, 2021.
Loss for RTCs:
The estimated loss for various Road Transport Corporations includes Rs 1,563
crore for KSRTC, Rs 770 crore for BMTC, Rs 906 crore for NWKRTC, and Rs 810
crore for KKRTC.
No policies would be
good or bad! But we being a responsible citizen should utilize it in a better
way.
My thoughts: It is good
to provide free transport for women. It would be good if the government has considered
few more things such as: separate free bus for Women members as provided in Tamil
Nadu, Timing would have been provided. It would have reduced overcrowding in
normal KSRTC bus and also would have reduced the burden of bus drivers and conductors.
Working women and college
students are facing difficulty to commute on time.
Conclusion
The Shakti Yojana in
Karnataka has undoubtedly improved accessibility to public transport for women
and transgenders. However, it has also inadvertently affected BMTC employees,
auto drivers, and private bus operators. Balancing these considerations is
crucial for the scheme's sustainable and successful implementation. The
initiative reflects a broader societal challenge: the need to balance
accessibility and affordability with economic sustainability and the well-being
of various stakeholders.
References:
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2023/jul/03/the-power-of-shaktihow-it-benefits-women-of-karnataka-what-it-costs-the-state-government-2590822.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBy%20removing%20the%20cost%20of,%2C%20livelihood%2C%20healthcare%20and%20leisure.
https://www.outlookindia.com/national/karnataka-govt-s-shakti-scheme-stings-auto-drivers-bus-operators-women-fear-safety-news-310444
https://www.google.com/search?q=shakti+yojana+crowd+-+images&tbm
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