Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday, June 11, inaugurated first of the five poll guarantees, 'Shakti' scheme, offering free travel in government buses for women in the state. According to the officials, this free travel service will benefit more than 41.8 lakh women passengers every day and would cost the state exchequer an estimated Rs 4,051.56 crore annually.

The scheme was launched by Chief Minister along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy at Vidhan Sabha, where the logo of the Shakti scheme was unveiled and Shakti smart cards were symbolically issued to five women.

The scheme is available for women, who are domiciled in Karnataka, for the journey within the State limits after 1 pm today. The scheme will provide free rides for women and girl students of the state in government buses, from the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of Karnataka legislature and secretariat here.

"The 'Shakti Yojana' will be launched at Vidhan Sabha at 11.20 am today by CM & Dy CM. We will increase buses where there is a shortage. Three months will be there to apply for the smart passes. Smart passes will not breach any privacy. Ease of travel for women is our priority: Ramalinga Reddy, Karnataka Transport Minister said before the launch.

Women can apply for the Shakti Smart Card by registering on the Seva Sindhu' government portal. The CM has directed all district in-charge ministers to launch the scheme in their respective districts and the legislators to launch it in their constituencies.

According to officials, all women, including girl students, without any discrimination on the basis of caste, religion caste, can avail the facility. Gender Minorities are also included in the scheme, they said.

The free travel service can be availed in city transport, ordinary and express buses which accounts to 18,609 buses in all four state-owned Road Transport Corporations (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC). Until smart cards are issued, free bus travel can be availed by producing a valid photo identity card issued by Government of India, Government of Karnataka or Government-owned offices, and getting a zero value ticket.

Earlier, on Saturday, Siddaramaiah said, "We are launching one of the five guarantees at Vidhana Soudha at 11 AM. All women will be entitled to travel within the state free of cost in all the (state-owned) buses other than AC and Volvo including express bus services," Siddaramaiah.

"If women want to travel in inter-state bus then the service is not free, the Chief Minister said adding, if a woman wishes to go to Tirupati, she cannot travel free of cost. She can go up to Mulbagal (Kolar district bordering Andhra Pradesh) and after that it's not available, he explained.

However those travelling up to 20 km inside the neighbouring states will not be charged. "For example, from Ballari to 20 km inside Andhra Pradesh, they (women) can go free of cost," Siddaramaiah said.

"The Shakti scheme has brought relief to the women of the state, who were in distress due to price hike and inflation," he added.

The scheme is one of the five guarantees promised by the Congress ahead of the assembly elections. The other four guarantees are -- 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, both in the age group of 18-25 (YuvaNidhi).

The Congress-led Karnataka government will also launch the 'Gruha Lakshmi' scheme on either August 17 or 18, which provides Rs 2,000 financial assistance per month to the women.