Tamil Nadu Vidiyal Payana Thittam

Benefit of Free of Cost Travel in Ordinary Fare City Buses will be provided by Tamil Nadu Government to Women, including working women, school-going girl, college-going girls, transgenders and persons with severe disabilities under its Vidiyal Payana Thittam.
Read here to get full details about the scheme.

Introduction of Tamil Nadu Vidiyal Payana Thittam: A Brief Insight

• Government of Tamil Nadu started Vidital Payana Thittam in the year 2021.
• The main aim behind starting this scheme is to promote gender justice and empower women of the State by reducing the burden of transportation expenses.
• Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department implements this scheme in the whole of the State with the help of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation.
• Free-of-cost travel in Buses will be provided to all eligible beneficiaries under the Vidiyal Payana Thittam Scheme of the Tamil Nadu Government.
• This means beneficiaries don’t have to pay any fare during their journey in bus.
• All women of Tamil Nadu, including Working Women, School Going Girls, and College Going Girls, are eligible to avail the benefit of free travel in TNSTC Buses under Vidiyal Payana Thittam.
• Apart from the above-mentioned beneficiaries, transgender and Persons with Severe Disability are also eligible to travel in buses free of cost.
• Bus Conductor will issue a zero-amount ticket to a beneficiary after checking any proof of photographic identification of Tamil Nadu.
• Free of Cost Travel is only eligible in the Ordinary City Buses of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation.
• No free-of-cost travel in Volvo, AC, Semi AC, and Interstate Buses is allowed under Vidiyal Payana Thittam.
• Further, Tamil Nadu Government also extended the benefit of this scheme in hilly areas for which a budget of Rs. 3050/- crore is also allocated.
• According to government sources, more than 570 crore trips have been made by women and other beneficiaries under the Vidiyal Payana Thittam of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
• Through this scheme, beneficiaries can save approximately Rs. 888/- per month, which can be used on their transportation expenses.
• Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment will compensate the amount of zero tickets to the State Transportation Corporation.
• This scheme is also known by some other major and popular names in Tamil Nadu which are “Vidiyal Payanam Thittam” or “Vidiyal Payana Scheme” or “Free Bus Travel Scheme Tamil Nadu” or “Zero Ticket Bus Travel Scheme Tamil Nadu”.
• There is no need to apply separately anywhere to avail the benefit of free bus travel under the Vidiyal Payana Thittam Scheme.
• Beneficiaries will have to just show any photographed identity card for identification, after confirming, the bus conductor will issue a zero amount bus ticket to the beneficiary under Vidiyal Payana Thittam.
• Women beneficiaries can also apply for “Magalir Urimai Thogai Scheme” in which monthly financial assistance will be provided by the Tamil Nadu Government.

Benefits Provided to Eligible Beneficiaries

• Government of Tamil Nadu will provide the following benefits to all eligible beneficiaries under the Vidiyal Payana Thittam Scheme :-
  • Women/ Girls can travel free of cost on buses.
  • No Need to Pay Ticket Fare, Zero Amount Ticket will be issued.
  • Transgenders and persons with Severe Disabilities can also travel free of cost.
  • Free of Cost Travelling is only eligible in Ordinary Fare City Buses within Tamil Nadu.

Eligibility Conditions Required to be Fulfilled

• The following persons are only eligible to travel free of cost in TNSTC Ordinary Fare Buses under the Government of Tamil Nadu’s Vidiyal Payana Thittam Scheme :-
  • Working Women.
  • School Going Girls.
  • College-Going Girls.
  • Transgenders.
  • Person with Severe Disability.
  • All Ordinary/ Common Women.

Documents Required to be Attached

• In order to travel free of cost in Tamil Nadu State Corporation Ordinary City Buses under Vidiyal Payana Thittam, the Beneficiary will have to show any one of the following identity proofs to the bus conductor :-
  • Aadhaar Card of Beneficiary.
  • School Identity Card. (For School Going Girls)
  • College Identity Card. (For College-Going Girls)
  • Voter ID Card.
  • Disability Card. (For Severe Disabled Person)
  • Identity Card of Employee.
  • Any Photo Pasted Identity Card that showed Residence Proof in Tamil Nadu.

How Beneficiaries Can Apply to Avail the Benefit of this Scheme

• Beneficiary Women don’t have any need to apply anywhere in order to avail the benefit of free travel in city buses under Vidiyal Payana Thittam of the Tamil Nadu Government.
• Working Women, Transgenders, Persons with Severe Disabilities and Girls who are pursuing higher education can directly sit in the ordinary fare city bus which is operated by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation.
• Show your Aadhaar Card or any identity card to the conductor as identity proof of Tamil Nadu.
• Bus Conductor will then issue a zero amount bus ticket to the women beneficiary under the Tamil Nadu Government’s Vidiyal Payana Thittam.
• Eligible Women Beneficiaries are only eligible to travel in ordinary city buses of the Tamil Nadu State Corporation Bus.
• Travelling in a Volvo, AC or Semi-AC Bus and Interstate Buses are not eligible under Vidiyal Payana Thittam.
• In case of any help or assistance required regarding this scheme, the beneficiary can contact their area’s District Social Officer.

Important Links Available

• Official Website of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department Tamil Nadu.
• Guidelines of Vidiyal Payana Thittam Tamil Nadu.

Contact Details in Case of Help Needed

• Contact Numbers of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department Tamil Nadu.

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