Women tamper with Aadhaar for free bus ride?

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In a surprising turn of events, women from various states such as Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, and others, who are currently residing in Karnataka, are found to be altering their Aadhaars to avail of the state government’s free bus ride scheme for women. They allegedly manipulate their cards in a manner that Kannada language is displayed on them instead of their state's official language.

Despite these women being originally hailing from places in Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the name and address details are being fraudulently printed in Kannada. These women have been exploiting this modified documentation to avail themselves of free bus travel benefits by showing these cards to conductors. However, their deceptive actions have not gone unnoticed.

The bus conductors aware of the deceit have even taken photographs as evidence and informed the transport department about the development. To ensure proper verification of government-issued photo documents, they are now doubly checking passengers' documents before issuing tickets. Conductors who fail to verify documents adequately face fines, leading to heightened vigilance among administrators.

The government is also considering issuing a warning to bus operators regarding this matter. Two days ago, the Congress led government in Karnataka implemented the Shakti Yojana, a scheme providing free bus travel to women across the state. The move has significantly increased women's mobility and has been well-received by beneficiaries who expressed their gratitude towards the government.

However, some women from other states who have settled in Karnataka are taking advantage of the scheme through manipulative tactics. It is important to note that the Shakti Yojana is exclusively meant for women residing in Karnataka, and all operators are obligated to verify photo documents issued by the government for eligibility. To curb misuse and maintain the integrity of the scheme, the government and transport authorities are now actively addressing the issue.