Women commuters on the Mangaluru–Moodbidri–Karkala route will soon benefit from the state’s Shakti Scheme, which allows free travel for women in KSRTC buses. After years of dominance by private bus operators and persistent requests from women beneficiaries, the government has approved the immediate deployment of four KSRTC buses on the route.
MLC Ivan D’Souza confirmed the deployment during a Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting chaired by district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. He highlighted that the lack of KSRTC buses had deprived women of the scheme’s benefits. The Mangaluru division of KSRTC will begin operating the buses from Friday, although initial services will be limited due to staff shortages. Additional buses are expected soon to meet demand.
In another update, MLC Manjunath Bhandary raised concerns over the slow progress of the central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission. While pipelines have been connected to nearly 5 lakh households in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, officials lack clarity on the sources of drinking water. Bhandary urged the minister for rural development and panchayat raj to expedite the project, ensuring safe drinking water for rural households.
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