VIJAYAWADA: The State government will constitute a Group of Ministers (GoM) to study the implementation of free bus travel scheme for women in other States. Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad issued an order to this effect on Saturday.
While Transport Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy has been appointed as chairperson of the GoM, Ministers G Sandhya Rani (Women and Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare) and Vangalapudi Anitha (Home) are the members. Principal Secretary (Transport, Roads and Buildings) has been appointed as the Convener of the GoM.
The GoM has been tasked with submitting its report to the State government as early as possible so that further action can be taken. Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab and Kerala are the States that are currently implementing the free bus travel scheme for women.
It may be pointed out that providing free bus travel to women in the State was one of the promises under the ‘Super Six’ guarantees made by TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu in the run up to the elections. Other promises included creation of 20 lakh jobs and unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 per month, Rs 20,000 financial aid to farmers per year, Rs 1,500 to every woman and Rs 15,000 to every school-going child, and three free LPG cylinders per year for every household.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila Reddy lashed out at the TDP-led NDA government in the State for prolonging the implementation of the scheme.
Accusing the coalition government of not being sincere, she said the State government is not committed to fulfilling its promise. She pointed out that in Telangana and Karnataka, the Congress implemented the free bus travel scheme for women within 100 days of forming the government. Emphasising that the APSRTC management has already expressed its readiness for implementing the scheme, Sharmila sought to know why the Naidu government was delaying it. “The government should at least launch the scheme as a new year gift to the people and prove its sincerity,” she said.