Why YCP is Unhappy With the Free Bus Travel Scheme for Women

When the entire state is celebrating a welfare scheme, the YSRCP seems to be walking in the opposite direction. While the people, especially women, are welcoming the coalition government’s decision, the opposition party is finding fault where there isn’t much to complain about.

The new “Sthree Shakti” scheme, which allows women to travel for free in selected APSRTC buses, has received overwhelming response. For the first time in Andhra Pradesh, such an initiative has been rolled out, and the government is ready to spend nearly ₹2,000 crore annually on it. Families are enjoying bus rides without worrying about expenses, women are expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, and in some places, supporters even celebrated the scheme by pouring milk on Chandrababu’s posters.

Yet, instead of acknowledging the positive public sentiment, the YSRCP is ridiculing the initiative. Party MLC Varudu Kalyani alleged that the government had cheated women, since free travel is limited only to certain categories of buses. She argued that women traveling long distances might be forced to change multiple buses, calling it an “injustice.”

However, the truth is that Andhra Pradesh is not alone in implementing selective services for free travel. Telangana allows free travel only in four types of buses, and Karnataka restricts it mainly to district-level services. Andhra Pradesh, in fact, has extended it to five categories of buses, which is slightly broader than Telangana’s model.

Critics point out that providing free travel across all RTC services would put an unbearable financial burden on both the corporation and the government. Welfare schemes cannot be implemented blindly without considering economic realities.

Instead of constructive criticism, the YSRCP’s reaction comes across as desperate — as if they are trying to turn their discomfort into the people’s problem. And that’s why many feel the party is losing credibility with voters while the government gains appreciation.