TN Announces Expanded Free Bus Travel And Six Free Gas Cylinders Annually

Speaking in the State Assembly in Chennai on Monday, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced major welfare measures under the government's 'Vetri Vision' document, expanding free bus travel for women and transgender persons and introducing six free cooking gas cylinders annually for economically disadvantaged households.

Making the announcements under Rule 110, the Chief Minister stated that all women and transgendered persons will be eligible to travel free of cost on Express, LSS, Deluxe, and mofussil government buses starting October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Previously, the free bus ride initiative had been restricted to ordinary buses in cities and towns, as well as a maximum travel distance of 40 km in hilly regions.

The expanded transit initiative, titled 'Vetri Payanam', is intended to enable women across the state to access greater opportunities. Vijay stated that the scheme serves as social capital that supports a girl student's education, a worker's employment opportunity, a mother's family responsibility, and an entrepreneur's development. The state government will bear an additional financial burden of Rs 6,000 crore annually to run the expanded bus travel scheme.

In addition to the transport initiative, the government announced the 'Annapoorani Super Six' scheme, which will provide six free cooking gas cylinders per year to poor families starting from Pongal in January. The cost of the gas cylinders will be reimbursed directly, with the funds credited to the bank accounts of women beneficiaries shortly after the cylinders are supplied to them.

The gas cylinder initiative is set to benefit over 1.3 crore families with an annual income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh, including economically backward households, micro and small farmers' families, differently abled persons, and other socially deprived groups. The government will allocate around Rs 4,000 crore for the scheme, and preparatory work for implementation has already commenced.

Vijay added that the cooking gas scheme will be implemented despite market shortages and escalating cylinder costs caused by a war-like situation prevailing in the Gulf region over the past four months.