Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has launched a scheme that will allow women passengers in the state to pay only 50% of the fare for their travel within the state.
Henceforth, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will charge women travellers only half the fare for their travel within the state. Launching the 'Naari Ko Naman' scheme at the Government College Auditorium here on Thursday, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also issued concessional tickets to women.
Seema Thakur, the first woman bus driver in the state, drove him in a state transport bus to the event venue. The chief minister had announced the 50 per cent concession on bus fares to women on April 15, Himachal Day.
In another scheme, Thakur announced a reduction in the minimum bus fare from Rs 7 to Rs 5 to all passengers across the state. Thakur also said the government will sanction 25 new posts of women drivers in the 'Ride With Pride' government taxi service - an initiative to ferry women passengers and senior citizens.