People accompanying differently abled passengers in APSRTC bus will get 50% discount on fare under ‘Divyang Shakti’ scheme. | Photo credit: File photo
The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a major welfare initiative for the differently-abled under the ‘Divyang Shakti’ scheme, which will provide free travel in APSRTC buses across the state.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will launch the program in Amaravati on Wednesday, while the MLAs will launch the program in their respective constituencies.
Under this scheme, all persons with 40% or more disability will be eligible for free travel in APSRTC services including city ordinary, metro express, Palle Velugu, Ultra-Palle Velugu and express buses. The free travel facilities will be available in 7,264 buses covering nearly 73 percent of the APSRTC fleet.
The system also provides a 50% discount on fares to people accompanying passengers with various disabilities, making travel much easier for those who need assistance.
The system, which was earlier limited to only four categories, will now cover 21 disability categories, including physical and mental disabilities, autism, neurological disorders, Parkinson’s disease, thalassemia, haemophilia and sickle cell disease.
With this expansion, the number of beneficiaries will increase from around 2.05 lakh to 12.76 lakh, including differently-abled individuals and their attendants.
The government will bear an annual financial burden of ₹ 207 crore for the implementation of the scheme. Officials said the initiative aims to improve mobility, accessibility and social inclusion for people with various disabilities.
Digital passes
Digital passes with QR codes will be issued through the Mana Mitra WhatsApp Governance platform and the APSRTC mobile app, eliminating the need for physical certificates. The services will also be available at 134 APSRTC bus station counters across the state.
The ‘Divyang Shakti’ program builds on the success of the ‘Stree Shakti’ initiative launched last year to provide free bus travel to women, which saw over 52 million journeys in seven months.
The government expressed confidence that the new system will empower people with various disabilities by improving their access to education, employment and basic services, a report said on Tuesday.
Published – 17 March 2026 20:06 IST
