Latest news with #MahalaxmiScheme
The Hindu
23-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
TGSRTC rumbles past 200 crore free trips milestone
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation's Mahalaxmi Scheme, which provides free bus travel to women and transgender persons, has rumbled past the 200 crore free trips milestone. Launched on December 9, 2023, the scheme was implemented across Palle Velugu, Express, City Ordinary and Metro Express buses. Of TSRTC's fleet strength of 9,703 buses, 7,913 comprises 5,080 Palle Velugu buses and Express buses, and 2,833 Metro Express and City Ordinary buses. According to official data, the State government has so far reimbursed ₹6,680 crore based on the trips taken by women passengers. Meanwhile, daily ridership rose from 45.49 lakh to 60.08 lakh, which is a 24% increase. Furthermore, women now account for 66.74% of all passengers, up from 40%. Occupancy ratio improved markedly from 69% as recorded in November 2023 to 97% by June 2025. 'RTC has organised festive programs across the State to mark the completion of 200 crore free journeys for women,' said Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka at an event to mark the occasion. 'When the Indiramma government came to power, we started free bus travel for women on RTC on December 9, 2023. Two hundred crore women passengers have travelled for free, saving ₹6,680 crore. Congratulations to them.' He said that those who once likened RTC to a sinking boat should now reconsider. 'After introducing free bus travel, RTC has now become profitable. It is not a sinking boat, but a government organisation that is making profits,' he said, adding that the State government has so far paid ₹6,680 crore to RTC and will continue to cover the fare of women passengers. 'RTC has grown to the point of buying new buses with the income generated,' he said. Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said women have been making use of the scheme to travel to places of employment, worship and shopping. He underscored the government's commitment to strengthening the corporation. He pointed out that in the last decade, the RTC was weakened to the point at which people began to wonder if it would survive. 'Now, RTC is coming out of losses and moving towards profits,' he said. He said that the government has been procuring new buses, making appointments and repaying employee dues. He also noted that buses have been handed over to women's groups for ownership, with cheques worth ₹1 crore recently issued for 150 buses. Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said, 'Within two days of our government coming to power, we started free bus travel for women in RTC in the Assembly premises. So far, 200 crore free journeys have been completed, saving ₹6,680 crore.' He said the government aims to make one crore women millionaires and has also enabled women to set up petrol stations. Events were organised at 97 bus depots and 324 bus stations to mark the milestone. The ministers felicitated drivers and conductors for their contribution in the scheme's success.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
TGSRTC workers' union for suspension of contractual employment
A workers' union of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has demanded that the management hit the brakes on its plan to hire workers on a contractual basis. Citing the retirement of over a few thousand workers over the past decade, the union has called for regular recruitment to fill long-pending vacancies in the corporation. The Staff and Workers Federation (SWF) has urged a roll back of the hiring move and sought the notification of regular, full-time posts. The union maintained that upwards of 10,000 workers had retired in the last 10 years. They claimed that little or no direct recruitment has happened in the same time period. Only a handful of compassionate appointments have been made, union office bearers Veeranjaneyulu and V. S. Rao said. With the Mahalaxmi Scheme, that provides free bus rides to women, launched in December 2023, occupancy has spiked. This has led to the need for augmenting the bus fleet of more buses and increasing staff strength. However, the union alleged that the TGSRTC has not expanded its fleet to meet the rising demand. Recruitments too have been put on the back burner. Arguing that the TGSRTC is a permanent service-oriented institution, the union asserted that contractual recruitment not only contravenes certain stipulations, but also is a betrayal of unemployed youth. They noted that while both regular and contract staff perform the same duties, the latter face severe pay disparities and job insecurity. The union also criticised the practice of outsourcing recruitment to private contractors. The government's approach is akin to dividing unions, they said.
