COCHIN : The scheme, one of the key promises made during the Assembly election campaign, is expected to benefit women across the state and encourage greater participation in education and employment.
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan announced on Wednesday that all women, regardless of age, will be eligible to travel free of cost on ordinary KSRTC bus services under the first phase of the government’s flagship welfare programme.
The state government estimates the scheme will cost approximately ₹70 crore every month, amounting to nearly ₹800 crore annually. The entire expenditure will be reimbursed to KSRTC by the government.
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Satheesan noted that Kerala already provides around ₹1,500 crore every year to support the state-run transport corporation, and the additional subsidy required for the free travel initiative will also be fully covered by the government.
Despite concerns over the financial burden, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that the scheme would lead to increased ridership and help improve KSRTC’s revenue within six months of implementation.
The benefit will initially be limited to ordinary KSRTC bus services. Officials clarified that there will be no age restrictions, ensuring that women of all age groups can avail of the free travel facility.
According to the government, the initiative is designed to ease household transportation expenses, enhance women’s mobility and create better opportunities for women to access education, employment and other essential services.
Addressing criticism that the scheme may have limited impact in regions where ordinary KSRTC services are less common, particularly in parts of Malabar, Satheesan said the government is closely studying the issue. He described the June 15 rollout as the first phase of implementation and indicated that the programme could be expanded and refined based on feedback and field-level assessments.
However, critics have questioned the effectiveness of the scheme in areas where fast passenger and superfast bus services form a larger share of KSRTC operations, arguing that the benefits may not reach all women equally.
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