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Karnataka’s four Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) are grappling with a ₹1,694-crore deficit in reimbursements under the Shakti scheme, according to data shared by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy during the Assembly's winter session in Belagavi.
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The Shakti scheme, introduced in June 2023, offers women free travel on government buses through "zero sum tickets." These tickets enable RTCs to calculate the ticket value of the distance traveled, submitting claims for reimbursement to the finance department.
The state government allocated ₹3,199 crore for the scheme in the 2023-24 budget. However, the actual costs incurred by RTCs from June to November 2023 reached ₹6,543 crore—double the allocation. Of the ₹1,694-crore shortfall, ₹683 crore is owed to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), ₹280 crore to Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), ₹394 crore to North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and ₹335 crore to Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).
Adding to the financial strain, daily passenger numbers surged by 25% after the scheme’s implementation, climbing from 93 lakh to 1 crore. Simultaneously, RTCs face escalating operational and maintenance costs.
Minister Reddy’s disclosure underscores the mounting challenges faced by Karnataka’s transport sector in sustaining the scheme, even as it witnesses increased public reliance on free bus services. The government now faces pressure to bridge the funding gap to ensure uninterrupted transport services.
