Karnataka has released Rs 530 crore to four state-run road transport corporations to clear diesel dues and reimburse spending under the Shakti free-bus scheme for women, easing immediate financial pressure on the public bus network. The government has also released nearly Rs 64 crore for free bus travel for school and college students.
Of the Rs 530 crore released to the transport corporations, Rs 100 crore has been allocated to pending diesel bills and Rs 430 crore to reimburse expenditure incurred under the Shakti scheme. The funding follows requests from the corporations to clear outstanding fuel payments and meet the cost of operating subsidised services.
The four corporations had reported pending dues of Rs 1,124 crore to Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, according to the report. Together, the undertakings consume around 16.2 lakh litres of diesel every day and spend approximately Rs 488 crore a month on fuel procurement.
The diesel allocation is intended to address part of the immediate fuel liability faced by the transport undertakings. The pending bills had placed additional pressure on corporations that are responsible for maintaining daily bus operations across Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.
The government’s separate reimbursement release for the Shakti scheme will be distributed among the four corporations. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation will receive Rs 164 crore, while Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation will receive Rs 78.4 crore. The North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation has been allocated Rs 105 crore and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation Rs 81.8 crore.
The Shakti scheme provides free bus travel to women in Karnataka and has become a significant component of the state’s public transport system. Reimbursements from the government are intended to compensate the corporations for the revenue associated with eligible journeys under the scheme.
For Bengaluru, the funding is relevant to the BMTC’s ability to sustain daily bus services while managing fuel costs and scheme-related reimbursements. For the regional corporations, the release addresses similar operational pressures across their networks. The reported allocations do not, however, cover the full diesel liability of Rs 1,124 crore cited by the corporations.
The latest release therefore represents an immediate financial intervention rather than a complete resolution of the transport undertakings’ outstanding obligations. The corporations’ fuel expenditure, scheme reimbursements and pending liabilities will continue to determine the financial resources required to maintain services. The government’s releases are the latest step in meeting those operational and reimbursement commitments.
