'Why should men pay for travel when women don't?': Student's question stumps Shivakumar

During a Children's Day event in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar faced a pointed question from a young attendee regarding the state’s free travel scheme for women, which does not extend to men or boys. The child asked why men should continue to pay while women travel free, and why boys are excluded from the benefit. In response, Shivakumar stated that no such proposal to extend the scheme exists but assured that the government would consider the issue.

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The free bus travel for women is one of five major welfare schemes introduced by the Karnataka government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after taking power last year. Collectively, these schemes have a budget allocation of Rs 58,000 crore. While aimed at providing relief to women and promoting their mobility and economic participation, the policy has also sparked debates about gender equity and the sustainability of such large-scale initiatives.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently acknowledged the financial strain caused by these initiatives but emphasized that the government remains committed to maintaining them despite fiscal challenges. The free travel scheme, in particular, has been both praised for empowering women and criticized for excluding other groups, highlighting the broader conversation about equity in welfare policies.