The Karnataka State Government administers the Shakti Scheme to facilitate free travelling to women citizens across the state in state sponsored traffic sources including state buses. The scheme is a part of the guarantee schemes announced before the state assembly election 2023 in Karnataka. Through this scheme the state government facilitates free travels to female citizens of any age group from all backgrounds. Availing of the scheme, women in Karnataka can travel free of charge to one place to another with ease in state operated buses including buses run by KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC. Read below to know more about the Shakti Scheme 2025 of Karnataka Government.
Launch of Shakti Scheme in Karnataka
The Shakti Scheme was officially launched on 11 June 2023 by the chief minister Siddharamaiah as one of the guarantee schemes announced during the election campaign. The scheme is one of the five guarantee schemes promised in the Congress party manifesto before the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023. The scheme extends free travel benefits to all women citizens irrespective of age, race, religion, caste, creed, etc. The scheme is instrumental in giving additional rights to women citizens and easing financial burden on them by freeing them from charge on travel across the state in state-run buses.
Shakti Scheme Recent Updates
In October 2024, it was claimed that the state government will minimise the free travel scheme to the disadvantages of beneficiaries, which was later refuted by the chief minister, who then clarified that there will be no revision in the scheme and it will remain operational as it was. Till date, more than 290 crore travels have been performed free of charge by more than 3 crore women beneficiaries and this figure is likely to increase in the future. The state government incurred an expenditure of approximately Rs 5,500 crore on free travel under the Shakti Scheme.
See also: Gruha Lakshmi Scheme
Summary Details of Karnataka Shakti Scheme
| Name of Scheme | Shakti Scheme |
|---|---|
| Concerned Government | The government of Karnataka |
| Concerned Department | Transport Department, Govt. of Karnataka |
| Scheme type | Free Travelling Scheme |
| Benefits | Free of charge travels in state buses |
| Beneficiaries | Women citizens of Karnataka |
| Application | No direct enrolment |
Aims and Objectives
Shakti Scheme is a women empowerment scheme that offers free travel benefits to all female citizens irrespective of their socioeconomic backgrounds. The scheme helps relieve women travellers from charges incurred on travel in state buses and improve their economic status. The scheme is instrumental in empowering women by saving their money on short and long route journeys across one place to another place inside the state. The scheme will not only save crores of rupees for female citizens but also enable them to undertake necessary travels without any hurdles across the state.
Salient Features
- The Shakti Scheme is one of the five guarantee schemes that were promised by the Congress party before the assembly elections in 2023 in Karnataka.
- The scheme facilitates free travel in state-sponsored government transport buses without any charge.
- The scheme is instrumental in saving crores of rupees of women citizens and empowering them with free travel facilities across the state.
- There will be no limit on travels by women citizens under Shakti Scheme and they can travel without any limit from one place to another across the state.
- Till date a total of 229 crore travels have been performed under the Shakti Scheme, which underlines the significance of the scheme for women citizens in Karnataka.
- A total of 5500 crore ticket value travels have been recorded by the Karnataka government under the Shakti Free Travelling Scheme.
- The state authorities have increased the number of buses in the state for ease of travelling by reducing crowds in state buses.
- Participants of Shakti Schemes are KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC which operates buses and manages travelling properly to the advantage of the beneficiaries of the Shakti Scheme.
Benefits
The scheme envisages facilitating free travel for women citizens thus saving their expenditures on travel across the state using state buses. The scheme will be helpful for all the beneficiaries in saving their money and uplift their socio-economic status significantly in the long run.
Eligibility Requirement
- All women citizens in Karnataka will be eligible for free travel in state-run buses irrespective of their socioeconomic status.
Application Process
No direct enrolment is involved for the purpose of the scheme and women from all sections of society can avail of the scheme benefits without any charge and undertake necessary travels across the state using buses run by the KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC.
Useful Documents
- Identity Proof such as Aadhar Card
See also: Gruha Jyothi Scheme
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Shakti Scheme and what benefit does it offer?
This is a free travel scheme launched by the Karnataka State Government to facilitate free travel for women citizens in the state.
Who can avail of the Shakti Scheme?
All female citizens only who are residents of Karnataka state can undertake free travel in buses run by KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC.
Do I need to apply for the Shakti Travelling Scheme?
No, there is no need to make any application because the scheme mandates free travel based on gender and encompasses all female citizens without any formality or application.