Bengaluru
As the Shakti scheme is nearing to complete one month of its launch, the Karnataka government has noted the difficulties and losses in business faced by the autorickshaw drivers and private bus operators in the State and will soon bring out a report on the pros and cons of the scheme.
On June 11, the newly-elected Congress government in Karnataka launched the first among five poll guarantees — the Shakti scheme. In this scheme, women can travel for free in non-premium services of State-run buses across Karnataka.
In a reply to questions in the State Legislative Council on Wednesday, July 5, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “The State government has noted the impact of the Shakti scheme on auto drivers and private bus operators. However, since the scheme is in an initial stage, the government will study the pros and cons after one month of completion.”
According to the data by the transport department, there are 4,69,619 auto rickshaws across the State while there are 12,538 private buses operating in the State.
Private bus operators have been affected by the Shakti scheme, especially in Malnad, coastal and old Mysuru region districts where private buses have been dominating the public transport sector in rural areas.
Meanwhile, auto drivers in Bengaluru and other parts of the State claim that the success of the Shakti scheme only meant they were losing business further. Most auto drivers in the city have been seeing a decline in auto bookings, especially on ride-hailing applications, allege autorickshaw drivers’ unions.
C. Sampath, general secretary of Adarsha Auto Drivers’ Union in the city, said that their drivers were saying that at least 30-40% of the business had been lost after the scheme was launched.
