The Karnataka government is preparing to introduce a smart card system for beneficiaries of the Shakti Scheme, a move aimed at tightening verification of free bus travel and preventing misuse of the scheme by ineligible passengers, officials said on Sunday.
The proposal comes in the wake of concerns within the government of free travel benefits being claimed using fake Aadhaar cards and other incorrect documents, resulting in financial losses. The Department of Transport is developing a verification mechanism that will require beneficiaries to obtain a customized smart card after confirming their eligibility.
Under the proposal, voter ID card in Karnataka is expected to become a key requirement for smart card security. Applicants will also have to present their Aadhaar card during the verification process. The authorities plan to issue the cards only after verifying both documents.
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Each smart card will carry the beneficiary’s name, photo, 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 first introduced on a pilot basis in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation before being expanded to other road transport companies in the state.
Officials are also considering equipping the cards with near-field communication technology. Besides enabling free travel on government buses, the cards could later be integrated with the Namma Metro, allowing passengers to use a single card across different modes of public transport.
The proposal comes days after Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that beneficiaries of government welfare schemes should ensure that their names are included in Karnataka state electoral rolls.
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Speaking at a review meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Thursday, Shivakumar said welfare schemes, including Gruha Jyothi, which provides up to 200 units of free electricity to households, will be available only to people whose names appear in the voter list.
He urged residents to verify their registration during the ongoing special intensive review of electoral rolls.
“Only those whose names have been included in the electoral rolls will be eligible for government welfare schemes. Beneficiaries must ensure that their names are not deleted during the review process,” Shivakumar said.
He said the verification process aims to prevent misuse of social welfare programs without affecting eligible beneficiaries. “Our goal is to stop abuse and eliminate ineligible beneficiaries,” he said. “No deserving citizen should suffer because of this process.”
