Telangana women’s groups to lease TGSRTC buses

The initiative will be officially launched on March 8 at Parade Ground, Hyderabad, as part of the Indira Mahila Shakti-2025 event.

Hyderabad: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, women’s self-help groups in Telangana are set to play an active role in public transportation through a unique partnership with the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC). As part of the scheme, 150 Mandal Mahila Samakhyas (MMS) will lease buses to the corporation, to ensure a steady source of income for them.

The initiative will be officially launched on March 8 at Parade Ground, Hyderabad, as part of the Indira Mahila Shakti-2025 event.

According to a government order issued by the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department, the first phase of the initiative will cover the erstwhile districts of Mahabubnagar, Khammam, Warangal, and Karimnagar. Financially stable Mandal Mahila Samakhyas in these areas have been identified for the project, with each purchasing one bus valued at Rs 6 lakh.

The state government has committed to facilitating the purchase of 600 RTC buses through Mandal Mahila Samakhyas in a phased manner. In the first phase, 150 buses will be procured, followed by the remaining 450 in subsequent phases.

The TGSRTC will lease these buses for operations and pay Rs 77,220 per month to the respective MMS as rental charges.r

Under the agreement:

The buses will be purchased by individual Mandal Mahila Samakhyas.
TGSRTC will operate and maintain the buses while paying monthly hire charges at 15 percent EMI before the 5th of every month for seven years.

The buses will be hypothecated to the respective MMS and registered in their names in the RC Book.