The free bus travel scheme for women in several states around India has been a great success. It has helped a lot of working women to avail of the travel service without worrying about the cost of travel. But, what about those women who work in hilly areas? To help such women out, the Tribal Association in Tami Nadu has urged the state government to look beyond the city lines.
Tribal Association Urges Free Bus Travel For Women In Hilly Areas
According to reports from The News Minute, bus fares in Tamil Nadu saw an increase in 2018 after a six-year interval. The minimum fare now stands at ₹6, up from the previous ₹5 for ordinary mofussil buses. In the Ghat sections, passengers are required to pay an additional 20%, resulting in a minimum fare of ₹7.20 instead of ₹6.
So, while it seems affordable to the city folks, it should be taken into consideration that women in hilly areas don’t have the same income. Keeping in this light, The Tribal Association in Tamil Nadu has come up with a solution.
The Tamil Nadu Tribal Peoples Association has made a plea to the State government. They are urging the government to extend the free bus travel scheme for women. Specifically, they want to include mofussil buses in hill areas. This request comes, as town buses are not operational in the hilly regions.
The Talavadi Union conference of the association took place in Hasanur on July 16.
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Appeal To Extend Free Bus Travel Scheme For Women In Hilly Areas Too
P.L. Jeevabarathi, the association’s secretary, attended the conference. S. Seyarasu, the legal consultant, was also present. Additionally, S. Mohan Kumar, the district secretary of the Communist Party of India, also participated in the conference, as per reports by The Hindu.
During the Talavadi Union conference held in Hasanur, the Tamil Nadu Tribal Peoples Association passed two resolutions. One resolution highlighted the positive impact of the free bus travel scheme for women in town buses.
The resolution emphasized that women below the poverty line reside in hill areas like Talavadi, Kadambur, and Bargur. However, the bus scheme was not made available to those women in the hilly areas. It also highlighted that those from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes also inhabit these regions, reported The Hindu.
The ultimate agenda of the resolution was to help the women in the hilly areas attain the same free bus travel benefits as the women from other areas.
Also Read: Free Bus Travel In Uttar Pradesh For Women Above The Age Of 60 Years, Promises CM Yogi Adityanath
What do you think about this move from the Tribal Association in Tamil Nadu? Let us know in the comments.
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