CM to launch ‘Divyang Shakti’ scheme today
New scheme facilitates free bus travel to people with disabilities
Amaravati: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu will launch ‘Divyang Shakti’ scheme in Amaravati on Wednesday. This will offer free bus travel to people with disabilities across the state. MLAs will simultaneously inaugurate the programme in their respective constituencies. The initiative fulfills a promise the Chief Minister made on December 3 last year, observed as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Under the new scheme, people with 40 per cent or more disability can travel free of cost on buses currently covered under the Stree Shakti Scheme.
These include City Ordinary, Metro Express, Palle Velugu, Ultra Palle Velugu and Express buses operated by the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation.
Earlier, free travel applied to only a few disability categories, while others received 50 per cent fare concession. With the Divyang Shakti scheme, free travel now covers all persons with disabilities with 40 per cent or higher disability. Attendants accompanying them will receive a 50 per cent concession. The scheme significantly expands eligibility, from four disability categories to 21. Beneficiaries include people with autism, neurological disorders, Parkinson’s disease, thalassemia, hemophilia and sickle cell anemia, among others.
With this expansion, the number of beneficiaries will increase from 1.71 lakh to about 11.16 lakh persons with disabilities. The number of attendants eligible for concession will rise from 33,800 to 1.6 lakh. Overall, the total beneficiaries will grow from 2.05 lakh to about 12.76 lakh. People with disabilities can now travel free on 7,264 buses, which account for about 73 per cent of the APSRTC fleet covered under the Stree Shakti scheme.
Existing disability passes issued earlier with three-year validity will continue to be valid. Beneficiaries can also obtain QR-code-based digital passes through the Mana Mitra and the APSRTC App. Since these platforms are linked with the SADAREM database, applicants do not need to submit physical disability certificates. Assistance will also be available at 134 designated counters at APSRTC bus stations.
The state government will provide an annual subsidy of Rs 207 crore for the scheme. Officials said the programme builds on the success of the Stree Shakti free bus travel scheme for women, launched on August 15 last year. In seven months, women passengers made over 52 crore free journeys, with the government spending Rs 1,826 crore. On average, 24.38 lakh women travel daily, accounting for 63 out of every 100 passengers on RTC buses.
