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https://reasonstobecheerful.world/free-bus-passes-for-women-in-india-financial-freedom/>
"C. Parvati was born and raised in Bangalore, but she never had the opportunity
to visit the temples and tourist sites because she could not afford to spend
money on such recreational activities. “Now, I am able to take my children and
show them these places even within my budget when school has holidays,” says
Parvati.
What changed? She’s been able to save money since the Karnataka state
government made public transportation free for women in June.
Karnataka is one of several Indian states that have recently implemented a free
bus pass for women. The initiative is called Shakti, which in Hindi means
“strength.” In 2019, Delhi was the first place in the country to provide women
with complimentary tickets printed on pink paper, and earlier this year, the
state administration reported that more than one billion have been used thus
far. Other states that have launched similar programs include Tamil Nadu,
Punjab and Telangana.
The purpose of such policies is to bring more women into the workforce by
lowering the cost and simplifying the process of working and traveling.
According to the World Bank, India has one of the lowest rates of female labor
participation in the world, with less than 25 percent of women over the age of
15 employed as of 2022, a decrease from 27 percent in 2012. In India, men
frequently restrict the financial options available to women. And although
these same men may object to their wives working outside the home, free travel
gives women a choice that they did not have previously. Though women are free
to work, if their commute is too expensive or unpredictable, they frequently
choose not to. The governments that have put the program into place say that it
has been successful and they intend to extend it."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
