The Congress-led UDF government in Kerala on Monday rolled out the Priyadarshini scheme, offering free rides for women in state-run buses.
Chief minister V.D. Satheesan and other dignitaries were part of the inaugural ride from the central bus depot here to the secretariat premises. An all-woman crew operated the bus.
“This is not an act of compassion towards women, but a way to show respect towards them. When women are able to save money, the entire family can benefit. The free bus ride can boost the economy with women spending more money from their savings,” Satheesan said.
Under the scheme, which was one of the five pre-poll guarantees, women will be issued “zero-fare tickets”.
Housemaid T. Santha, who has to spend ₹2,700 per month on commute, told The Telegraph that the initiative was a “dream come true”.
“I didn’t actually think that the Congress would fulfil its promise to the voters. My husband is an alcoholic and does not give me any money to meet household expenses. Apart from my monthly salary of ₹15,000, I rear 10 chickens for eggs to pay off the loan I had taken to marry off two of my daughters. I can now use my savings to invest in a deposit scheme,” the 56-year-old said.
Kerala has joined southern states such as Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in offering free bus rides to women. The new BJP government in Bengal also runs a scheme on free bus rides for women.