BHUBANESWAR: School students can now travel to their institutions in government buses free of cost. The state government has approved free bus travel for school students under Mukhyamantri Bus Seva (MBS) scheme.

According to a notification issued by the Commerce and Transport department, the proposal of the School and Mass Education department, which was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has been cleared.

Earlier, there was a 50 per cent concession in ticket fares for students. Now there will be a provision of free bus travel for students under MBS scheme, which aims at reducing school dropouts caused by long travel distances and ensure easier access to educational institutions, especially in rural and remote areas.

As per the decision, school students will be allowed to travel free of cost in both AC and non-AC buses operating under the MBS. To facilitate the process, a zero-value ticket will be generated through the electronic ticket issue machine (ETIM) for eligible students.

Students will have to either produce a valid school identity card or be in school uniform while boarding the bus. Accordingly, the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) has been directed to make necessary modifications to its ticketing software to enable the implementation of the free travel facility.

“The existing bus routes and timings will be reviewed to ensure that the maximum number of schools are covered under the MBS network,” the notification added.