BENGALURU: Nearly three years after the launch of the Shakti scheme, allowing women free bus travel, beneficiaries are set to receive personalised smart cards, with the Karnataka government initiating steps to implement a National Common Mobility Card-based ticketing system across state-run bus corporations.
Under the proposed system, any NCMC cardholder will be able to travel across buses operated by the four state-run transport corporations. Shakti scheme beneficiaries, meanwhile, will be issued a dedicated ‘Shakti card’ to avail free travel, a move that was planned alongside the launch of the scheme.
Beneficiaries can obtain the Shakti card by submitting a formal application. Through e-KYC verification, their details will be digitally captured and linked to the card, enabling seamless validation during travel without manual ticketing.
Once implemented, the system is expected to record usage by beneficiaries in real time, improving transparency, preventing misuse, and ensuring accurate identification. Officials said the move aligns with state government directions to strengthen data capture and streamline service delivery under welfare schemes.
A tender has been floated to appoint a transaction advisor who will assess requirements and guide the selection of a system integrator for implementation across the state’s four transport corporations.
Sources said the project is targeted for completion within 10 months from the appointment of the transaction advisor. However, passenger-level rollout is expected to begin within six months in a phased manner, with initial deployment likely across select corporations before scaling up statewide.
The NCMC-based system will also integrate broader smart mobility features, allowing commuters to use a single card across multiple modes of transport in the future through simple recharge. Transport officials said the initiative would reduce dependence on manual verification, enhance operational efficiency, improve commuter convenience, and enable better monitoring of subsidy-driven schemes such as Shakti.
Drinking water scarcity in few pockets, steps taken to mitigate it, says Priyank
Bengaluru: Karnataka RDPR and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said that there is drinking water scarcity in 324 villages across 60 taluks in 20 districts of the state. He said that while drinking water is supplied in tankers to 76 villages, the remaining villages are getting water through borewells. Priyank said that Rs 60 crore has already been allocated to districts to implement emergency works.
Apart from this, an additional Rs 48 crore has been released to the districts to clear pending bills of works carried out under the task force as of March, 2026. Also, Rs 14.5 crore has been allocated to repair drinking water purification units, he said.
The minister said to ensure an uninterrupted supply of drinking water in rural areas this summer, precautionary measures have been taken across the state. Officials at the district, taluk and panchayat levels are continuously monitoring the situation and holding review meetings. He said they have taken measures to prevent any disruption in drinking water supply in rural areas.