Thiruvananthapuram, June 8 (IANS) The Kerala government’s ambitious scheme to provide free travel for women in KSRTC buses will come into effect from June 15, but the benefit will initially be restricted to ordinary services alone.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Transport Minister C.P. John, considering KSRTC’s financial constraints and operational challenges.

John said the full details will be revealed by CM Satheesan, as the cabinet will first look into this and the final decision will be announced.

The scheme, introduced as one of the major election promises of the UDF government under the ‘Indira Guarantee’ programme, will be implemented on a trial basis for the first 100 days.

A detailed review of passenger patterns, revenue loss and operational impact will be carried out before extending the benefit to higher-category buses, including Fast Passenger and other long-distance services.

The Transport Commissioner has been asked to submit a report analysing the financial impact during the trial period.

The government will take a decision on the second phase based on the findings. KSRTC estimates that around 23 lakh passengers use its services daily, of whom nearly 10 to 12 lakh are women.

Providing free travel to such a large section is expected to create a significant financial burden, which the government has assured will be fully compensated.

According to KSRTC estimates, limiting the scheme to ordinary buses alone will result in an additional burden of around Rs 57 crore for three months. If city fast services are also included, the loss may rise to Rs 65 crore.

Extending the benefit to ordinary, Fast Passenger and Super Fast services could increase the burden to Rs 90 crore, while providing free travel across all categories of buses may cost around Rs 112 crore over three months.

With the government already providing financial support for salaries and pensions, discussions are underway on arranging additional funds through the Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC).

The Finance Secretary has been tasked with preparing a mechanism under which the cost of the scheme can initially be met and later reimbursed by the government.

The government has decided that the scheme will be applicable to women across all sections without considering caste or income status.

No eligibility criteria will be imposed. Aadhaar-linked smart cards are also being considered to prevent misuse.

The decision to restrict the first phase to ordinary buses has raised concerns that women in northern districts, particularly the Malabar region, may not receive the full benefit due to fewer ordinary services compared to southern districts.

The government is considering introducing new ordinary services in areas where such buses are currently unavailable.

KSRTC employees’ unions have also raised concerns over the financial implications.

While the CITU has demanded that the government fully bear the additional liability, the BMS has sought steps to convert KSRTC into a government department.

The government, however, has maintained that the ticket revenue loss will be reimbursed directly to KSRTC as a subsidy and that a special allocation will be made in the Budget to ensure the scheme does not become an additional burden on the corporation.

–IANS

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