Andhra Pradesh Minister K Parthasarathy on Wednesday announced that the state government's flagship free bus travel scheme for women, a key poll promise, will be launched across the state on August 15. The scheme, titled Stree Shakti, is expected to cost Rs 1,942 crore annually, around Rs 162 crore per month, and aims to empower women by improving their access to education, employment, and mobility.
“I’m happy to share that free bus travel for women will commence on August 15,” said the State Information and Public Relations Minister. He said that the initiative is intended to enhance opportunities for women in various sectors and dismissed reports suggesting the scheme would be restricted to select districts.
"There were reports that the scheme would be restricted to certain areas, but it has been decided to implement it statewide," Parthasarathy said.
Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation’s total fleet of 11,449 buses, 8,456, nearly 75 percent, will operate under the Stree Shakti scheme. Bus services such as Palle Velugu, Ultra Palle Velugu, City Ordinary, Metro Express, and Express will be included. The scheme is expected to benefit up to 1.4 crore women annually, potentially saving each family up to Rs 1,000 per month.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the Secretariat following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Alongside the bus travel scheme, the Cabinet approved several other key initiatives.
Andhra Pradesh Land Incentive
One of these was the Andhra Pradesh Land Incentive for Tech Hub Policy 4.0, designed to drive economic development using existing infrastructure and skilled manpower, particularly in the aftermath of the state's bifurcation and the loss of Hyderabad. Under this policy, eligible entities will be allotted land at Rs 0.99 per acre across the state.
In the power sector, the Cabinet approved a government guarantee of Rs 900 crore to the State Bank of India and Union Bank of India to support the Andhra Pradesh Power Development Company Ltd and avoid negative credit reporting due to delays in payments from DISCOMs.
Free Electricity Quota Update
To support the Nayi Brahmin community, the Cabinet also approved an increase in the free electricity quota for hair-cutting salons from 150 units to 200 units per month, aiding their social and economic upliftment.
Further government guarantees were approved, Rs 3,544 crore for Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Ltd and Rs 1,029 crore for Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Ltd, as counterpart and interim fund loans from PFC Ltd for the successful rollout of the revamped distribution sector scheme. These guarantees carry a two percent commission.
The Cabinet also extended the ban on the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and its front organisations under the Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act, 1992, for another year. Banned outfits include the Radical Youth League, Rythu Coolie Sangham, Grameen Peedala Sangham, Radical Students Union, Singareni Karmika Samakhya, Viplava Karmika Samakhya, All India Revolutionary Students Federation, and Revolutionary Democratic Front.
(With PTI Inputs)
