Andhra Pradesh Minister K Parthasarathy announced that the state government’s flagship free bus travel scheme for women, which was a key poll promise, will be rolled out across the state on August 15. The scheme, called Stree Shakti, is expected to cost Rs 1,942 crore a year (Rs 162 crore a month), and aims to empower women by facilitating access to education, employment and mobility.
The State Information and Public Relations Minister said, “I am glad to share that bus travel is free for women from August 15”. He stated that the project is aimed at increasing opportunities for women in various sectors, and dismissed reports that the scheme would be limited to the scheme to certain districts.
“There were reports that the scheme would be restricted to certain areas, but it has been decided to implement it statewide,” Parthasarathy said.
The full fleet of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, of which 11,449 buses exist, will see 8,456, almost 75%, operating under the Stree Shakti scheme. Buses under schemes such as Palle Velugu, Ultra Palle Velugu, City Ordinary, Metro Express, and Express will be included. The project stands to benefit up to 1.4 crore women yearly and can potentially save a family, on average, around Rs 1,000 a month.
The announcement came during a press conference at the Secretariat after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Along with the bus travel scheme, the Cabinet approved a number of other initiatives.
Andhra Pradesh Land Incentive
One of these was the Andhra Pradesh Land Incentive for Tech Hub Policy 4.0, which aims to drive economic development using available infrastructure and workforce in light of the state’s bifurcation and the loss of Hyderabad. This policy will provide land for Rs 0.99 per acre statewide to eligible companies.
The Cabinet also approved a government guarantee of Rs 900 crore to the State Bank of India and Union Bank of India for the Andhra Pradesh Power Development Company Ltd. This will help with credit reporting of payments from DISCOMs, as there have been delays in payment.
Free Electricity Quota Update
As part of the Cabinet’s efforts to support the Nayi Brahmin community, it also approved an increase in the free electricity quota for hair-cutting salons from 150 units per month to 200 units per month to facilitate their social and economic upliftment. The state government’s Cabinet also approved additional government guarantees.
The Cabinet approved ₹3,544 crore for Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Ltd and ₹1,029 crore for Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Ltd, as counterpart and interim fund loans from PFC Ltd, for the smooth implementation of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. The government has guaranteed the loan with a two percent commission.
The Cabinet also approved another one-year extension to the ban on the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and its front organisations under the Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act, 1992. Prohibited 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.
