MANGALURU: Very soon, women traveling on the Mangaluru – Moodbidri – Karkala route will be able to benefit from the govt’s Shakti Scheme, which allows free travel in KSRTC buses for them. This route has long been dominated by private bus operators, with KSRTC buses absent for many years.
After numerous requests from women beneficiaries for KSRTC services, the govt approved the immediate deployment of four buses.
MLC Ivan D’Souza mentioned that additional KSRTC buses will be introduced on this route soon. Welcoming the govt’s decision, the MLC said that the KSRTC Mangaluru division will be operating the buses on the route.
“The women beneficiaries, who are commuting on the Mangaluru – Moodbidri – Karkala route, were deprived of the Shakti Scheme benefit because of the lack of KSRTC buses.
The issue was discussed at a Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meeting chaired by district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao recently. I brought the issue to the notice of the govt during the ongoing Session of the State Legislature. During a meeting on Monday, the transport commissioner informed that four permits will be issued to operate KSRTC buses on the route,” D’Souza said.
However, the MLC said, due to a shortage of staff, only a few buses will be operated from Friday. The department has agreed to introduce more KSRTC buses on the route later, he added.
During the State Legislature Session, MLC Manjunath Bhandary brought to the notice of the govt the tardy progress in the implementation of the central govt’s Jal Jeevan Mission, which is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural areas.
He said that though the work under Jal Jeevan Mission commenced in most of the villages, water supply has not begun yet. The MLC said that pipelines were connected to 2,94,409 houses in Dakshina Kannada and 2,05,807 homes in Udupi district.
However, officials have no clarity on the sources of drinking water for the project, the MLC said and requested the minister for rural development and panchayat raj to take initiatives to expedite the project.
EOM/ December 11, 2024
