A political storm has erupted in Karnataka following a government revelation in the Legislative Assembly that over ₹4,006.47 crore in dues remain unpaid to the state’s four road transport corporations (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, and KKRTC) under the Shakti scheme. Launched on June 11, 2023, the scheme provides free bus travel to women, benefiting approximately 650 crore passengers to date. While the government has released ₹11,748 crore so far, the outstanding arrears across three financial years have raised serious concerns regarding the viability of these corporations. The BJP has accused the Congress-led government of pushing the transport bodies into deeper financial turmoil, while Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy defended the initiative as a landmark for women’s empowerment, promising that the pending funds will be cleared soon.
The following table details the staggering amount the state government is yet to reimburse the transport corporations:
