The service is only available to Karnataka-based women who can provide an identification document and obtain a smart card based on that document. The administration has added some small print by limiting the service to women possessing a state identity. The Congress election manifesto had promised free travel to all women throughout the state.
Source: Hindustan Times
All women are entitled for the free travel offered to them in Delhi and Tamil Nadu. Without asking any identity-related questions outside their gender, they are given zero-fare tickets. Shakti is unavailable to a vast number of women, particularly those who live in rural regions and do not travel much, due to the demand for ID and smart cards.
The majority of migratory women, who are a significant economic force in the state and require the facility, won’t be able to use it. Additionally, the exclusion does not make much sense practically.
Most likely, the expense of making the necessary infrastructure and logistical preparations to limit the benefit to domiciled women will be more than the expense of offering it to non-domicile women. Enforcement will be difficult and cost money. The transportation companies must make sure that only those who qualify can travel for free. This will be demanding and entail additional labour, oversight, and verification. It will be rote when it is burdensome. The scheme’s design bears the traditional bureaucratic hallmarks of exclusion, emphasis on documentation, and formalities.
Source: India Today
Other issues include issues with data privacy and smart card usage technological problems. The concern is that gender-based violence may result from the personal travel information of women generated by smart cards. The knowledge could have additional effects and might be utilised improperly for commercial gain.
Why can’t the government be gracious and kind in the design and implementation of a programme that affects the lives of millions of women is the main question. All women should be able to access Shakti thanks to its simplicity, lack of requirements, and lack of cards.
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