The Tamil Nadu government has allocated ₹3,600 crore in subsidies for its flagship free bus ride scheme for women in the 2025-26 Budget, presented in the Assembly on March 14, ahead of next year’s state elections.Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu, highlighted the scheme’s growing impact, stating that the percentage of women using fare-free bus services has risen to 65% from 40%.”On an average, 50 lakh women travel daily in the buses run by State Transport Undertakings, leading to a total of 642 crore trips so far. Notably, a study by the State Planning Commission revealed that women save an average of ₹888 per month due to this initiative. For the year 2025-26, the government has allocated a subsidy of ₹3,600 crore for the scheme in the Budget Estimates,” he said.
Also Read: Key takeaways from Tamil Nadu Budget 2025Starting April 1, 2025, the state will also reduce the stamp duty by 1% on property and other assets registered in a woman’s name.This concession applies to all immovable assets, including houses, plots, and agricultural land valued up to ₹10 lakh.Nearly 75% of current registrations are expected to benefit from this reduction.
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