In the run up to the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday launched the Nari Ko Naman Scheme, under which women travelling in state buses will be given a 50% discount.
The CM also reduced the minimum bus fare from ₹7 to ₹5. Presiding over a state-level function at Dharamshala, the administrative headquarters of electorally significant Kangra, the chief minister announced that 25 posts of women drivers will be filled for running ‘ride with pride’ Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) taxis.
Apart from it, he announced that 265 posts of motor mechanics, electricians and other categories in HRTC will be filled and said the finance department will take up the matter of providing additional funds worth ₹30 crore for the transport corporation.
The concessional bus fare scheme is aimed at consolidating woman voters as the ruling BJP aims to achieve, Mission Repeat, which has been a pipe dream since 1985.
Speaking at the event, the CM said, “Concession in bus fares is not a political move, rather it is a small step towards our resolve to empower women. The state government will spend around ₹60 crore annually on the scheme. It will also give momentum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Beti Bachao , Beti Padhao campaign as women students who take buses to their schools and colleges on a daily basis, will greatly benefit from the scheme.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking at the event, the CM said, “Concession in bus fares is not a political move, rather it is a small step towards our resolve to empower women. The state government will spend around ₹60 crore annually on the scheme. It will also give momentum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Beti Bachao , Beti Padhao campaign as women students who take buses to their schools and colleges on a daily basis, will greatly benefit from the scheme.”
{{/usCountry}}Training his guns at the opposition, Thakur said, “The opposition has been opposed to the scheme since its inception. The people of the state will give them a befitting reply in the upcoming elections.”
“It was during my tenure as rural development and panchayati raj minister that 50% reservation was given to women in PRIs and ULBs (urban local bodies) in 2010 to ensure participation of women,” he said.
The Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojana was initiated in the state to cover beneficiaries left out of the Ujjawala Yojana, he said, adding that so far 3.32 lakh gas connections had been provided to women under the scheme.
The CM said the Mukhya Mantri Shagun Yojana was started for daughters of BPL families, under which financial assistance of ₹31,000 was provided for the marriage of daughters. So far, around ₹17 crore has been disbursed under teh scheme and 5,308 women had benefitted, he said. He also listed other women-specific schemes launched by his government. Earlier in the day, the CM provided concessional tickets and flowers to women commuters and flagged off the HRTC buses from the bus stand in Dharamshala.
Thakur honoured woman HRTC driver Seema Thakur and gave employment letters to two beneficiaries on compassionate grounds. He also interacted with women commuters from Mandi, Sirmaur, Una, Chamba, Hamirpur, Shimla, Lahaul Spiti, Solan, Bilaspur, Kinnaur and Kullu districts.