Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Uttarakhand Expands Women-Focused Measures With Free Travel and E-Buses
Uttarakhand has announced several new measures to support women.
Women aged 60 and older will be able to ride state buses for free.
Ten electric buses in Dehradun will be reserved for women and called pink e-buses.
More pink buses may be introduced in other parts of the state later.
New public toilets will be designed with women’s privacy and safety in mind.
Women will also be able to seek larger concessional loans to start or grow businesses.
The government says many women are already earning through self-help groups and entrepreneurship.
It hopes women will create jobs for others as well as find work for themselves.
Women aged 60 and above will receive free travel on Uttarakhand Roadways buses.
Ten electric buses in Dehradun will initially be reserved for women and operated as pink e-buses.
The Women’s Self-Employment Scheme loan limit will rise from ₹2 lakh to ₹2.50 lakh.
Modern toilets focusing on hygiene, privacy and safety will be developed at public locations, markets and tourist destinations.
The government said 3.09 lakh women had become Lakhpati Didis through entrepreneurship and self-help group initiatives.
- Who
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the state government announced measures for women.
- What
- The measures include free bus travel for women aged 60 and above, pink e-buses, safer public toilets and larger concessional loans.
- When
- The announcements were made during a Raksha Bandhan gathering; no calendar date was specified.
- Where
- The announcements were made at Chakarpur Stadium, with initial pink e-buses planned for Dehradun and other measures extending across Uttarakhand.
- Why
- The stated aims are to improve women’s mobility, safety, privacy and financial independence, while supporting entrepreneurship.
- Senior women’s travel
- Women aged 60 and above will be eligible for free travel on state Roadways buses; the existing concession applies to senior citizens above 65.
- Pink e-buses
- Ten electric buses operating in Dehradun will initially be reserved for women.
- Planned electric buses
- Uttarakhand is to receive 137 electric buses under the Prime Minister e-Bus Sewa, with 100 proposed for Dehradun.
- Self-employment loan limit
- The concessional loan limit will increase from ₹2 lakh to ₹2.50 lakh.
- Self-help group loans
- The government provides interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh for self-help groups.
- Lakhpati Didis
- The Chief Minister said 3.09 lakh women in Uttarakhand had become Lakhpati Didis.
- Women’s representation
- The state provides 30% horizontal reservation for women in government services.