The Karnataka government is preparing to introduce a smart card system for beneficiaries of the Shakti scheme, a move designed to tighten verification of free bus travel and prevent misuse of the programme by ineligible passengers, officials said on Sunday.
The proposal follows concerns within the government that free travel benefits have been claimed using fake Aadhaar cards and other incorrect documents, resulting in financial losses. The transport department is developing a verification mechanism that would require beneficiaries to obtain a dedicated smart card after establishing their eligibility.
Under the proposal, a Karnataka voter identity card is expected to become a key requirement for securing the smart card. Applicants would also have to produce their Aadhaar card during the verification process. Authorities plan to issue the cards only after both documents have been verified.
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Each smart card will carry the beneficiary’s name, photograph, Aadhaar number and residential address. The government also intends to make the cards non transferable so that they cannot be used by anyone other than the registered holder.
The department plans to issue nearly 3 crore smart cards across the state. The system is expected to be introduced first on a pilot basis in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation before being expanded to the state’s other road transport corporations.
Officials are also considering equipping the cards with Near Field Communication technology. Beyond enabling free travel on government buses, the cards can later be integrated with Namma Metro, allowing commuters to use a single card across different modes of public transport.
The proposal comes days after deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said beneficiaries of state welfare programmes must ensure that their names are included in Karnataka’s electoral rolls.
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Speaking at a review meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Thursday, Shivakumar said welfare programmes, including Gruha Jyothi, which provides up to 200 units of free electricity to households, will be available only to people whose names appear on the voter list.
He urged residents to verify their enrolment during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls.
“Only those whose names are included in the electoral rolls will be eligible for government welfare schemes. Beneficiaries must ensure their names are not omitted during the revision process,” Shivakumar said.
He said the verification exercise was intended to prevent misuse of welfare programmes without affecting eligible recipients. “Our objective is to stop misuse and eliminate ineligible beneficiaries. No deserving citizen should suffer due to this process,” he said.
