President Murmu to launch free pink mobility card for women in Delhi on Monday

New Delhi, Mar 1 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu will launch the Delhi government’s Pink National Common Mobility Card on Monday, which is aimed at providing free bus travel to women in the national capital and enabling seamless access to multiple public transport systems through a single smart card.

Murmu will formally launch the scheme at a programme titled ‘Sashakt Nari, Samriddh Delhi’ at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, organised by the Department of Women and Child Development, an official 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 occasions of Holi and Diwali.

According to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the benefit will be provided through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode.

The programme will also see the launch of the Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana, an expanded and restructured version of the existing Ladli scheme, aimed at strengthening higher education and long-term economic security for girls from economically weaker families, the statement said.

Gupta said the initiative reflects the government's commitment to women's empowerment and is designed to ensure that daughters from poor families are financially supported to pursue higher education.

Under the revamped scheme, a total assistance of Rs 56,000 will be deposited in stages in the name of the girl child, the statement said, adding that with accrued interest, the maturity amount is expected to exceed Rs 1 lakh by the age of 21, enabling the beneficiaries to complete their higher education.

According to the statement, the scheme will be implemented through a fully digital and transparent system, with funds managed by SBI Life Insurance Company Limited and invested under the SBI Life Dhanrashi Sadhan plan.

The maturity amount will be transferred to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account through DBT, it said.

It mentioned that eligibility under the scheme will be limited to families residing in Delhi for at least three years with an annual income of up to Rs 1.20 lakh.

The benefit will be available for up to two girl children per family, with registration linked to birth or specified educational milestones, the statement said.

Gupta said the pink card would allow women of Delhi to travel free of cost on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses. The card can also be used for paid travel on Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) and other public transport services.

She said the initiative is designed to make public transport more accessible and digital, while reducing women's daily travel costs.

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. In the first phase, pink and blue cards will be rolled out, with the orange card to follow later, the statement said.

It also said the DTC has authorised Hindon Mercantile Limited (MufinPay) and Airtel Payments Bank Limited to issue the cards, which will be integrated with the existing automatic fare collection system across Delhi's public transport network, with the pink card provided free of cost at government expense.

Around 50 centres, including the offices of district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates, and selected DTC locations, will be set up for card issuance.

Each pink card will be linked to the beneficiary's mobile number and Aadhaar to verify age, gender and Delhi residency, the statement said.

The pink card will replace the existing paper-based pink tickets, offering touch-free travel, digital journey records and improved transparency in revenue accounting, it said.

Selected beneficiaries will be handed over the cards at the launch event, marking a step towards a more integrated and woman-friendly public transport system in the capital, the statement said. PTI SHB ARI