The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Friday launched the “Stree Shakti” scheme, a landmark initiative providing free bus travel for women across the state. The launch event in Amaravati saw the participation of key NDA allies and ministers, including Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan and IT Minister Nara Lokesh. Under this scheme, all girls, women, and transgender persons holding Andhra Pradesh domicile status can travel for free on state-run buses, easing their daily transportation costs.

Officials stated that the scheme is designed to enhance women’s mobility and improve access to education, employment, and healthcare. Demonstrating his commitment, CM Naidu boarded a bus along with Pawan Kalyan and Nara Lokesh to interact with women passengers and hear their expectations from the government.

The Stree Shakti scheme will cover five APSRTC bus categories: Pallevelugu, Ultra Pallevelugu, City Ordinary, Metro Express, and Express services. With 74% of APSRTC’s 11,449-bus fleet designated for the program, approximately 2.62 crore women in Andhra Pradesh are expected to benefit.

This initiative fulfills one of the “Super Six” promises made by Naidu during the 2024 election campaign. Other promises include ₹1,500 monthly aid for women aged 19–59, 20 lakh jobs or ₹3,000 monthly unemployment allowance for youth, ₹15,000 annual assistance for school-going children (Talliki Vandanam), three free gas cylinders per household (Deepam-2), and ₹20,000 annual financial assistance for farmers (Annadata Sukhibhava).