AP to replicate Karnataka’s Shakti Yojana, delegation to visit Bengaluru

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Andhra Pradesh gover nment is gearing up to implement the popular Shakti Yojana in the state. To this end, a delegation of Andhra ministers and officials will visit Bengaluru to study Karnataka's implementation of the scheme. The Shakti Yojana, which offers free travel to women, has been a flagship initiative of the Congress government in Karnataka for the past two years. As one of the five guarantees implemented by the party, the scheme has garnered widespread appreciation and is considered the most successful of the guarantees. Over ?300 crore has been spent, enabling millions of women to travel free of cost under the programme.

Buoyed by the scheme’s success, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu aims to introduce a similar programme in his state. A 15-member delegation, including three ministers, will visit Bengaluru on 2 January to study the project in detail. The delegation will engage with Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) officials to gather insights into the scheme’s implementation, its benefits, and potential challenges.

On 3 January, the team will meet Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Transport Minister, and the Women and Child Welfare Minister to discuss the initiative. The Andhra Pradesh government’s move highlights the cross-state influence of successful welfare programmes and their potential to improve public services across India.