Now Reading: Stree Shakti Records 87 Crore Women’s Bus Journeys in Andhra Pradesh
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Stree Shakti Records 87 Crore Women’s Bus Journeys in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh’s Stree Shakti scheme completed one year on August 15, with women making 87 crore journeys on APSRTC buses, Deccan Chronicle reports. More than 24 lakh women now travel free each…
The Story in Brief
Andhra Pradesh’s Stree Shakti scheme completed one year on August 15, with women making 87 crore journeys on APSRTC buses, Deccan Chronicle reports. More than 24 lakh women now travel free each day, up from 9.47 lakh before the scheme. Women’s share of APSRTC passengers has risen from 40% to 62%.
The state government has spent Rs. 3,095 crore, providing a daily subsidy of Rs. 8.53 crore. The scheme covers 7,631 of APSRTC’s 9,978 buses across five categories. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu travelled with beneficiaries in a Palle Velugu bus and heard accounts of savings, education and business access. Officials told the government that rural road accidents had declined as some travellers shifted from shared autos and private vehicles.
The Indian Opinion
The easy narrative is that free travel alone has solved women’s economic barriers, while critics may reduce it to a costly subsidy. The reported figures show a real change in access, but they do not by themselves prove higher incomes or fewer accidents. The useful test is whether the state can sustain the Rs. 8.53 crore daily subsidy and publish reliable data on jobs, education and road safety outcomes.
Sources (2): deccanchronicle.com, deccanchronicle.com (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
