BENGALURU: The government’s plan to provide free bus passes to women garment workers in the city has come a cropper, thanks to most factory owners refusing to bear 40% of the cost. The scheme, launched in December last year, is being implemented by BMTC along with the labour department.
BMTC officials said only 38 such women have availed monthly passes, 40% of the cost of which will be borne by the labour department and garment companies each, and the remaining 20% by BMTC.
At present, a non-AC bus monthly pass costs Rs 1,050. “The factory owners need to spend only Rs 420 per worker each month, but they are not willing to do so. We have conducted awareness camps at garment factories in places such as Peenya and Dasarahalli, but the response has been lukewarm,” a BMTC official said.
Prathibha R of Garments and Textile Workers’ Union, said, “The scheme has not been implemented properly. Most factory owners are not interested because they don’t want to pay anything for their workers. BMTC and the labour department should conduct special camps near garment factories and issue these passes directly to the workers.”
She said many people staying on the outskirts and travelling to work will benefit from this scheme.
However, many factory owners feel this investment is not worth it as most labourers come to work on foot or in autorickshaws. A garment factory owner in Peenya said, “A majority of workers travel from point A to point B, so they don’t need an unlimited monthly pass. BMTC should slash the pass rate as most factory owners can afford to pay only 10-20% of the amount.”
BMTC managing director V Anbu Kumar said the scheme modalities were worked out by the labour department and BMTC’s role is to operate buses. “This is a good scheme and we want more people to use our buses,” he said.
Labour commissioner Akram Pasha was not available for comment.
Separately, BMTC is issuing nearly 18,000 Sahayahasta monthly passes to construction workers registered with the labour board.
A complex process?
On December 21, 2021, BMTC said it will launch ‘Vanitha Sangathi’ free monthly bus passes for women garment workers with the labour department’s help in January 2022. “More than 3 lakh employees are working in around 850 garment factories. Of this, 80% are women. Most employees depend on autos, private vehicles and mini-buses to get to work,” a BMTC release said.
Many workers complained the process to avail the scheme is complex. It requires the women to submit a request to their employers, who will then compile a list of those seeking passes and submit it to the labour board. The board will verify the applications and submit an eligible list to BMTC, which will issue monthly passes after the employer pays her/his contribution. The passes will be issued at Kempegowda Bus Station pass counters.
