The State Government of Karnataka has recently made the announcement that they are going to provide a smart card for women for a free bus ride. The transport minister recently made this statement that they would provide these Smart cards to the men as well. The government is currently planning to issue the smart cards under the Karnataka Shakti scheme, which offers free travel in the government buses in the state. Smart cards would be provided with a rechargeable facility. Only the men’s need to recharge the Smart Card who want to travel in Karnataka government buses need to do so, and women do not need to recharge them.
This is a great initiative by the Karnataka state government to digitise the process of free bus rides across the state. All the beneficiaries of the Shakti scheme in Karnataka will get the benefit of smart cards. Recently, the newly elected chief minister in Karnataka has made many other announcements for the Welfare of the state’s people. All the women who are travelling in the RTC buses can avail the benefits of the Karnataka Shakti scheme and get the facilities of a digital card, which they need to show during their travel. This article will help you to get more information about the Smart Card details, how you can apply online and the benefits for women.
Shakti Smart Card Karnataka 2026
The transport minister of Karnataka recently mentioned in his interaction with the media that they are going to introduce the digital card for women under the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel. The smart cards will be distributed and issued under the free bus travel scheme in Karnataka in all the known AC buses. These cards allow women to travel in the government buses without showing their Aadhaar card.
The Shakti scheme is running successfully in the Karnataka state, and currently, the women are showing their Aadhar card to get the free travel facility. The government has announced that it will provide a digital card or smart card to women instead of showing the Aadhaar Card. And will not provide this facility in the premium and luxury buses. This is only for the ordinary services.
Features of a Smart Card
- Shakti Smart card is a digital card which has the women to transport across the state in the public transport system.
- This smart card has your picture and is based on the national common mobility card.
- The women can use this smart card in both the government buses and the Namo Metro.
- This card is introduced with the national common mobility card system throughout the state.
- Women can travel free on the BMT buses.
- These smart cars have a rechargeable facility for those who want to travel in the Namma Metro.
- This is a digital card which can be used by both men and women both.
- The men who want to get a Shakti smart card will have to recharge to travel in the moment row.
- In the first phase, the government will issue more than 3 crore smart cards to women.
- The distribution and issuing of smart cards will soon start by the government under the Shakti scheme.
Benefits
- Women can travel free in the state government buses and the Namma Metro using this smart card.
- Women have no need to show their Aadhar card to get the free travel facility.
- The card will be used as identity verification for the women.
- The government provide the recharge and prepaid facility on the Smart Card.
- The government are planning to introduce more buses for women under the scheme.
- This scheme was officially launched in 2023, and since then, the number of beneficiaries has increased day by day.
- This is one of the effective schemes in Karnataka which helps women.
- This time, the men can also get the Smart Card by paying the fees and recharge them.
How to Apply Online for the Shakti Smart Card?
Now, most people have a question in their minds about how they can apply for the Karnataka free bus scheme digital cards. Right now, the government has only made the announcement that they are going to provide the smart card to women under the scheme. They have not yet made any statement regarding how the people will get the smart cards and how they can apply for them.
It is expected that the government will provide the smart cards from the Seva Sindhu portal in Karnataka. But it’s not official yet. Will soon here update the full process on how you can apply online for the smart card in Karnataka.
Karnataka Traffic e- Challan Waiver Scheme
FAQ
This is the Digital card which would be provided by the Karnataka Government under the Shakti scheme, allowing women to travel free in the government buses.
They have introduced these Smart cards to replace aadhar card verification during the free travel facility in the state buses.
The women of Karnataka who are eligible under the Shakti scheme they would get the Smart Card after the official launch.
These smart cards will be provided with a rechargeable and prepaid facility.