Delhi Cabinet approves free travel for women on all DTC, cluster buses from October 29

Months ahead of the Assembly elections in the national capital, Delhi Cabinet on Thursday approved free travel for women in all Delhi Transport Corporation and cluster buses in Delhi from October 29, 2019.

Delhi Cabinet also approved new scholarship scheme for Scheduled Caste students for higher studies abroad. The Cabinet also approved the proposal to provide Rs five lakh each per year to 100 students for Ph.d mad Masters courses for entire duration upto a maximum limit of Rs 20 lakh.

It may be recalled that on Monday, Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia had presented a grant of Rs 290 crore for the free ride scheme for women in DTC buses and Delhi Metro.

While presenting the grant at the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly, Sisodia had said that out of the Rs 290 crore, Rs 140 crore was allocated for DTC and its cluster buses, while Rs 150 crore was allocated to Delhi metro. On August 15, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that the free travel in DTC buses will start from October 29. 

On Tuesday, Kejriwal had announced complete waiver of any arrears on water bills for Delhiites. “Today we are announcing a scheme to waive arrears to clean up Delhi Jal Board's books. Some of these arrears are due to consumers but some are also due to incorrect billing,” the Aam Aadmi Party leader had said at a press conference.

Justifying the move, Kejriwal had said that the move was aimed at bringing a large section of Delhi population into the mainstream with regard to water supply.

“This is an open invite to the people of Delhi to join the mainstream and install water meters. Only those consumers who have installed meters before November 30 will get the benefit of this scheme,” Kejriwal had said.