Ahead of the assembly polls the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday launched the ‘Nari Ko Naman’ scheme to provide 50 percent concession to the women passengers in fares in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses.
The women passengers will be provided concession only in HRTC buses plying within the state.
Launching the scheme at a state-level function held at Dharamshala in Kangra district on Thursday, he said this concession is not a political move, rather it is a small step towards our resolve to strengthen women’s power, he added.
He also announced reducing the minimum fare in HRTC buses from the existing Rs. 7 to Rs. 5, filling up 25 posts of women drivers for ‘Ride with Pride’ Taxis of HRTC.
He also announced filling up of 265 posts of motor mechanics, electricians and other categories in HRTC and stated that the matter of providing additional funds of Rs. 30 crore for HRTC would be taken up with the Finance Department.
Thakur said, “This scheme would prove helpful in making women self-reliant and would give a new impetus to the progress of the women of the state. The state government would spend about Rs. 60 crore annually on the scheme since as per an estimate as many as 1.25 lakh women, travel in the HRTC buses daily.”
He said that the scheme would also give momentum to the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Beti Bachao – Beti Padhao’ campaign as girl students of schools and colleges, who commute daily by buses would be immensely benefitted.
The Chief Minister said that women constitute fifty percent of our total population and one cannot even imagine development without the active participation and overall development of the women.
He said that it was unfortunate that a young opposition MLA immediately after this historic decision went live on social media and alleged that the present state government was making the people of the state habitual of freebees.
The people of the state would give a befitting reply to these leaders in the coming elections, he added.
Earlier, the Chief Minister provided concessional tickets and flowers to the women commuters and flagged off the HRTC buses from the bus stand in Dharamshala.
CM also honored women HRTC Driver Seema Thakur and also provided employment letters to two beneficiaries on compassionate grounds on the occasion.
Chief Minister also interacted with women commuters of Mandi, Sirmour, Una, Chamba, Hamirpur, Shimla, Lahaul Spiti, Solan, Bilaspur, Kinnaur, and Kullu districts virtually on the occasion.