K'taka govt to buy 4K buses, recruit 13K KSRTC staff

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the state government will purchase 4,000 buses for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and recruit 13,000 drivers, conductors and mechanics.

During the discussion in the State Assembly on the motion of thanks to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot's address to the joint session of the Karnataka Legislature on July 3, the chief minister said, "The KSRTC's ‘income' has increased ever since the ‘Shakti' scheme offering free travel to Karnataka women in non-luxury government buses started on June 11."

"The state government will bear the expenditure met by the KSRTC on Shakti scheme. Rs 2,900 crore will be needed for the scheme in the next nine months, which we will give," Siddaramaiah said.

"We are going to recruit 13,000 drivers, conductors and mechanics in the KSRTC. We will purchase 4,000 new buses so that students and men are not affected by the Shakti scheme," the chief minister told the Assembly.

According to him, over 18 crore women have travelled in the state under the ‘Shakti' scheme till July 12. On BJP's allegation of imposing conditions on the guarantee schemes, the chief minister said, "No political party discloses them at that time of poll campaign".

"However, women are happy. 18 crore women have travelled. Is it not empowering women? The money is saved. Now women are travelling to temples and to their parents' house," Siddaramaiah said. (PTI)