'Oath of Trust' promise fulfilled, says West Bengal CM as govt rolls out free bus travel for women
Kolkata, June 1
The West Bengal government on Monday officially launched its free bus travel scheme for women in all in all the state-run buses, starting from the 'hills to the plain'. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari described the project as part of the BJP government's 'Oath of Trust' promise unveiled during the recent assembly election campaign.
The Chief Minister, on his X account, shared that the project is anchored in the vision of the Prime Minister for the empowerment of the nation's women.
The CM wrote, "Women from Hills to Plains Receiving Benefits of Free Transportation. In a step forward towards realising the dream of the illustrious Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for the empowerment of the nation's women power, West Bengal has advanced."
Highlighting the vision behind the rollout, the Chief Minsiter in his post expressed that the BJP has fulfilled a key electoral 'promise' made ahead of the elections.
The post further said, "The state's mother power has placed trust not in fear, but in assurance. To fulfil the BJP's promise 'Oath of Trust' made ahead of the elections, and with the guidance of the respected Modi as the guiding light, from today, the BJP government in West Bengal has launched free transportation arrangements for mothers in all government buses from the hills to the plains, in accordance with the earlier announcement. The state government is committed to ensuring the safety, social progress, self-reliance, and rights of the mother power in West Bengal."
Regarding the launch of the scheme, the official X handle of the BJP West Bengal in a post also shared the vision behind this initiative.
The post read, "Today marks a significant milestone in empowering the women of Bengal. Guided by the vision of Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji and in direct fulfilment of our '#BhorsarSopoth' manifesto commitment, West Bengal government led by CM Suvendu Adhikari is proud to introduce free transit for women on all state-operated buses, starting June 1st."
"Ensuring the safety, freedom, and dignity of our mothers and daughters remains our highest priority. We stand firmly by our promises as we continue the vital work of rebuilding a secure, prosperous, and self-reliant Sonar Bangla," the post said.
A female passenger, highlighting the financial benefits of the scheme, told ANI that it is good for women if everyday travel is free of cost in the state.
She said, "It will definitely be convenient as we have to travel 50-60 kilometres every day. We pay Rs 8,500-9,000 a month for transport expenses, so if something becomes free here, it will be good for us."
Meanwhile, according to a notification issued by the Transport Department on May 21, the Government of West Bengal said, "free transportation shall be provided in all state-run buses to all women of West Bengal, covering all short-route and long-route state-run buses for public service in various categories of buses".
As part of the implementation mechanism, the state government will introduce a Smart Card (digital with QR code) for beneficiaries.
The notification said that "one Smart Card (digital with QR code) with the photo and name of the beneficiary will be issued to each woman beneficiary on application, to be submitted to the BDO/SDO having jurisdiction."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Promises made, promises kept. That's what we voted for. The BJP government in Bengal is working for the people. Free bus travel for women is a game-changer for many families. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
Free bus travel is a good initiative but only for state-run buses. Most women in Bengal use private buses. This seems more like a photo-op than real change. What about safety? Free travel doesn't mean much if women don't feel safe on buses, especially during late hours.
While I'm happy for my female colleagues, I wonder about the cost. The state government will have to reimburse bus operators. That's public money. Instead of freebies, maybe invest in better infrastructure and roads. But okay, let's see how it works in practice. Hope the smart card system isn't too complicated.
This is exactly what Bengal needed! My mother used to walk 3 km to save bus fare. Now she can travel freely, visit the doctor, and even go to the market without worrying about money. Thank you, CM Adhikari ji and PM Modi ji. This is real empowerment. ❤️
I applaud the move but let's be honest – will the buses be more frequent now? Often, women have to wait for 30-40 minutes for a bus. Free travel doesn't solve the problem of inadequate public transport. Also, what about women from rural areas where bus service is almost non-existent? Still, a step forward.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.