CHENNAI: The state government has decided to expand the free bus travel scheme for women to more categories of government buses, with the expanded facility set to come into effect from October 2.Announcing the expansion in the Assembly under Rule 110 on Monday, chief minister S Joseph Vijay said women would be allowed to travel free of cost on express, LSS and deluxe government buses operating in cities and urban areas under the first phase of the scheme.The benefit will also be extended to ordinary-fare government buses operating on mofussil and hill routes, enabling women to undertake inter-district journeys without paying fares.“The scheme carries no income cap or trip limits and fully includes the transgender community,” he said, adding that it would entail an annual expenditure of Rs 6,000 crore from the exchequer.“Vetri Payanam is not just a free bus ride. It is a social investment securing a student’s education, a worker’s livelihood, and a mother’s household security. No woman in Tamil Nadu should lose an opportunity due to commute costs,” said the CM.There will be no income ceiling for beneficiaries and no restriction on the number of journeys they can undertake under the scheme. Transgender persons will also be eligible for free travel.The government has chosen October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, as the date for implementing the expanded scheme.The announcement came on the heels of another major policy U-turn earlier in the session, where CM Vijay officially announced the scrapping of the proposed greenfield airport at Parandur to prevent agricultural displacement.
