Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has reportedly said that bus fares will have to be increased as there is no money to run public transport.
He (especially the part where he says “there is no money to buy diesel”) brought back state government’s financial management and welfare commitments into focus.
The statement has been criticised by opposition voices who have said that Congress government cannot meet election promises while paying for essential public services.
The reported comment “No money even to buy diesel. Bus fare hike is inevitable” has become the rallying point in the debate over finances of Karnataka’s public transport system diesel is one of the running costs for state run bus services (employee salaries, maintenance and other operational costs also figure).
Free Bus Scheme and Financial Pressure
After coming to power in Karnataka in 2023, the Congress government introduced Shakti scheme. Eligible women could travel free of cost on non-luxury buses run by government within the state under this scheme. This became one of the major welfare programmes of the government and fulfilled an important electoral promise.
But the rising financial burden of welfare programmes has also raised questions about their sustainability over time. The government needs to pay for these programmes but public transport corporations need funds to run services too.
The prospect of increased bus fares has therefore worried passengers (daily commuters, students and working people who rely on cheap public transport).
BJP Targets Congress Over Governance
The BJP has used the alleged comments to attack the Congress government over Karnataka finances. Opposition leaders and supporters say too much dependence on freebies and mismanagement of finances could undermine essential services and reverse development gains made in previous years.
Political criticism has also focused on Rahul Gandhi’s often-quoted ‘khata khat’ political messaging which opponents use to attack the Congress party for its welfare spending and election promises.
“No money even to buy diesel. Bus fare hike is inevitable.” – DK Shivakumar Congress’s freebies and mismanagement have undone years of progress under BJP. Raga’s Khata Khat model! 🙏🏻 https://t.co/Ty2KVhr7pA
— Shilpa (@shilpa_cn) November 3, 2026
BJP says welfare commitments should not be at the cost of infrastructure development, public services and financial stability. But how does one know which schemes have impacted the state finances on the ground by actual budgetary allocations, expenditure and revenue figures?
Commuters Await Clarity
For ordinary passengers the immediate issue is whether bus fares will go up or how much more money they might have to spend on daily travel.
Any fare hike could hit thousands of people who travel on government buses for work, education and other essential journeys. At the same time public transport corporations need financial support to continue operating efficiently.
The debate reminds us that welfare schemes have to be balanced with the financial sustainability of public services. The opposition has questioned priorities of Congress government but government will have to clarify financial position of transport corporations and possibility of fare revision.
In the end passengers will be watching to see if the reported proposal becomes an official decision and whether the government can keep public transport affordable without breaking its financial promises.
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