Karnataka Shakti Smart Cards Delayed Amid ETM Rollout Issues

Quick Summary:

• Delay in Smart Cards: Two years after the launch of karnataka’s Shakti Scheme, smart cards for women beneficiaries have not yet been distributed due to incompatible electronic ticketing machines (ETMs) across the State’s four transport corporations.
• Benefits and Achievements of Shakti scheme: Introduced on June 11, 2023, this Congress-backed initiative provides free travel for women, transgender persons, and students on non-premium State-run buses. Over 516.95 crore free trips were recorded as of July 31, 2025, earning it a spot in the Golden Book of World Records.
• Current Ticketing System: Women currently show government-issued ID cards to avail free rides via ‘zero tickets’ issued by bus conductors. Smart cards were intended to streamline this system using ‘tap-and-travel’ technology for faster validation and accurate data collection.
• Technology Preparedness: The backend system and card prototypes are ready; KSRTC has updated its ETMs while rollout across other transport corporations remains pending to ensure uniform compatibility statewide.
• Approval Pending cabinet Decision: The proposal for smart card distribution will be presented before the Karnataka Cabinet following ongoing upgrades in ETMs across transport corporations.
• Studies Indicate Socio-Economic Impact: Research shows a significant rise in women’s employment-23% in Bengaluru and 21% in Hubballi-Dharwad-linked to improved mobility under the Shakti Scheme.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
The delay in distributing smart cards under the shakti Scheme highlights implementation challenges within public policy execution despite technological readiness and apparent benefits already observed from enhanced public transportation access.The incompatibility of electronic ticketing systems underscores an administrative gap that must be systematically addressed before scaling such initiatives further statewide.

While immediate effects like increased women’s employment demonstrate transformative socio-economic potential through accessible transit policies,inefficiencies such as prolonged boarding times bring operational challenges that could undermine user experiences if left unresolved over time.

Implementing uniform ETM systems would likely enable better tracking of usage patterns critical for data-driven policy-making while improving logistics efficiency-a move essential for guiding long-term public transportation reforms aimed at equity-oriented societal advantages.

Cabinet approval remains pivotal not onyl as an administrative milestone but also as an indicator of political will prioritizing efficient governance over logistical inertia affecting delivery timelines under flagship schemes like these.

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