President Murmu to launch free pink mobility card for women in Delhi | India News
The Delhi government will on Monday launch a pink National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), which aims to provide free bus travel to women in the national capital and enable seamless access to multiple public transport systems through a single smart card.President Draupadi Murmu will formally launch the scheme at an event titled “Strong Women, Prosperous Delhi” at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, a statement said.At the same event, the President will formally launch a scheme to provide two free LPG cylinders annually to all ration card holding families in Delhi on the occasion of Holi and Diwali.According to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, this benefit will be provided through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).An amount equivalent to the prevailing price of an LPG cylinder will be deposited in the Aadhaar-linked bank account of the head of the household in whose name the ration card is issued, the statement said.It said the scheme is expected to reduce the financial burden of cooking fuel costs to about 1.55 million ration card holder families and enable families to celebrate the festival with dignity and comfort.Gupta said the Pink Card will allow women residents of Delhi to travel for free on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, as well as be usable for paying on Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) and other public transport services.He said the initiative was designed to make public transport more accessible and digital, while reducing daily travel costs for women and improving access to education, employment and healthcare.Under the scheme, three types of mobility cards will be issued – pink for eligible women residents, blue for general commuters and orange for monthly pass users, the statement said.In the first phase, pink and blue cards will be rolled out, followed by orange cards, it added.The Delhi Transport Corporation has approved Hindon Mercantile Limited (MufinPay) and Airtel Payments Bank Limited to issue the cards, it said.The cards will be integrated with the existing automated fare collection system across Delhi’s public transport network, it said, adding that pink cards will be issued free of charge with the cost borne by the Delhi government.According to the statement, around 50 centers including District Magistrate and Sub-Divisional Magistrate offices and selected DTC locations will be set up to issue the cards. Minimal documentation will be required to ensure a simple and transparent process.Each pink card will be linked with the beneficiary’s mobile number and Aadhaar to verify age, gender and Delhi residency, it said.The pink card will replace the existing paper-based pink ticket, offering touch-free travel, digital record of travel and improved transparency in revenue accounting.It also added that selected women beneficiaries will be handed over pink NCMC cards at the launch event, marking an important step towards a more integrated and women-friendly public transport system in the capital.
