Transport Minister clarifies on KSRTC’s recognition

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has issued a clarification regarding the recogni-tions awarded to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) by the London Book of World Records, after a recent social media post by Chief Minister Sid-daramaiah’s official handle drew criticism.

The post had highlighted two milestones — KSRTC receiving 464 national and inter-national awards since 1997 for service excellence, and Karnataka achieving the high-est number of free women’s travel tickets issued under the Shakti Scheme. It was meant to showcase the government’s progressive governance and efficient service de-livery. However, questions were raised about the credibility of the awarding organisa-tion, prompting the addition of a community note on X (formerly Twitter) and the even-tual deletion of the post to prevent further misrepresentation.

In his clarification, Reddy said the achievements mentioned in the post are factual and verifiable, standing independently of any third-party recognition. He pointed out that the London Book of World Records is a private record-keeping organisation that has recognised several prominent personalities and institutions across India, including Un-ion Minister Nitin Gadkari, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Gov-ernment of Puducherry, and well-known figures from cinema and social work.

The minister emphasised that KSRTC’s consistent performance over decades and the success of the Shakti Scheme—empowering lakhs of women with free travel every day—are matters of public record and pride for Karnataka. These achievements, he said, continue to receive praise from national institutions, expert bodies, and citizens alike.Reddy explained that the post was withdrawn solely to avoid unnecessary distrac-tion from the substance of these accomplishments.