Now Reading: Stree Shakti free bus travel for women completes one year in Andhra
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Stree Shakti free bus travel for women completes one year in Andhra
Andhra Pradesh's 'Stree Shakti' scheme, providing free bus travel to women on state-run APSRTC buses, completed one year on August 15. The government reports an average of 24 lakh women travel daily…
The Story in Brief
Andhra Pradesh's 'Stree Shakti' scheme, providing free bus travel to women on state-run APSRTC buses, completed one year on August 15. The government reports an average of 24 lakh women travel daily under the scheme, totalling 87 crore journeys in the year. The state has spent Rs 3,095 crore on the initiative, subsidising Rs 8.53 crore per day.
Women's share of APSRTC passengers rose from 40 per cent before the scheme to 62 per cent now. Daily women passengers increased from 9.47 lakh to 24 lakh, and bus occupancy under the scheme reached 93 per cent. Deccan Chronicle reports officials claim a decline in rural road accidents as women shift from shared autos and private vehicles to buses.
The Indian Opinion
Stree Shakti is being hailed as a women's empowerment success, but the Rs 3,095 crore subsidy over one year raises a straightforward question: can Andhra's finances sustain this indefinitely? The narrative often skips the cost, focusing only on ridership numbers. The real test will come when the state presents its next budget and shows whether this spending crowds out other welfare or infrastructure spending. Watch for the fiscal impact report.
Source: deccanchronicle.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
