Divyang Shakti Scheme, Andhra Pradesh

What is the Divyang Shakti Scheme?

Divyang Shakti Scheme is a free bus travel scheme of the Government of Andhra Pradesh for persons with disabilities, launched on 18 March 2026 and operated through the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). The scheme extends to divyangjan the same free-travel model the state had earlier introduced for women passengers, and it is administered jointly by the Transport Department and the department that handles welfare of differently abled persons.

Under Divyang Shakti, an eligible person with disability travels free on APSRTC's City Ordinary, Metro Express and Express services. An attendant accompanying the beneficiary pays 50 per cent of the normal fare. Travel is authorised by a digital pass carrying a QR code, which the conductor scans on boarding rather than issuing a paper ticket.

The scheme is a recurring, use-based benefit rather than a cash transfer. There is no annual cap on the number of journeys published, and no money is credited to the beneficiary. The saving is realised each time the bus is boarded.

Why the scheme exists

• Transport cost is one of the largest recurring expenses for a person with disability who travels for treatment, therapy, education or work.
• A paper concession pass had to be renewed at a depot counter, which is itself a journey. The QR-based digital pass removes that trip.
• Extending the women's free-travel model keeps a single fare-settlement mechanism inside APSRTC rather than creating a second one.

Who is eligible for Divyang Shakti?

You can use the scheme if:

• You are a permanent resident of Andhra Pradesh.
• Your certified disability is 40 per cent or more.
• Your disability is registered in SADAREM, the state's assessment database for differently abled persons.
• You hold valid photo identification, normally Aadhaar.

You are not eligible if:

• Your assessed disability is below 40 per cent. This is a firm threshold.
• Your disability certificate exists only as a hospital document and has not been converted into a SADAREM record.
• You are not a permanent resident of Andhra Pradesh. The scheme is a state benefit funded by the Andhra Pradesh government and does not extend to visitors from other states.
• You are seeking free travel on a premium APSRTC category outside the announced list of City Ordinary, Metro Express and Express.

An attendant is not independently eligible. The 50 per cent concession is available to one accompanying person and only when the beneficiary is travelling on the same service.

What documents do you need for Divyang Shakti?

How to apply for the Divyang Shakti pass

1. Check your SADAREM record first. Confirm that your disability certificate is registered in SADAREM and that the percentage shown is 40 or above. If it is not registered, get the SADAREM assessment done before you go any further — nothing else in the process will work without it.
2. Open the Mana Mitra WhatsApp service on the number published by the Andhra Pradesh government, or install the APSRTC mobile app from the official app store listing.
3. Choose the disability bus pass or Divyang Shakti option in the menu.
4. Enter your SADAREM certificate number, Aadhaar number and mobile number, and upload a recent passport-size photograph when prompted.
5. Verify with the OTP sent to your mobile number.
6. Download or save the digital pass with its QR code. Keep a screenshot on the phone so that the pass works even where mobile data is weak.
7. Show the QR code to the conductor on boarding. The conductor scans it and issues a zero-fare ticket; buy a half ticket separately for your attendant.

If you already hold an APSRTC disability bus pass, skip this process. Existing pass holders are covered without a fresh application.

How to apply offline for Divyang Shakti

1. Visit your nearest APSRTC bus depot with your SADAREM certificate, Aadhaar, residence proof and two passport photographs.
2. Ask at the pass counter for the Divyang Shakti or disability concession pass.
3. Submit the documents and give your mobile number so the digital pass can also be sent to you.
4. Collect the acknowledgement and note the pass number.

The depot route is the one to use if you do not have a smartphone or if your SADAREM details need to be corrected before a pass can be issued.

How much does Divyang Shakti actually save?

Divyang Shakti removes the full fare on the covered services rather than discounting it, so the saving depends on how often you travel. A person commuting daily within a city on City Ordinary services saves the entire monthly bus spend. A person travelling occasionally to a district hospital on an Express service saves the full point-to-point fare each way. The only cash the household still pays on a covered journey is the attendant's half fare.

Because the benefit is realised at the point of travel, there is no bank account, no DBT credit and no instalment calendar. Nothing needs to be claimed afterwards.

Why does a Divyang Shakti pass get refused on the bus?

• The service is outside the covered categories. Super Luxury, Indra AC and other premium coaches are not in the announced list.
• The QR code will not scan because of a cracked screen, low brightness or a compressed screenshot. Carry the pass at full resolution and raise screen brightness before boarding.
• The photograph does not match the traveller. The pass is personal and non-transferable; a family member cannot travel on it.
• The SADAREM record has lapsed or been revised below 40 per cent after a reassessment.
• Aadhaar and SADAREM name mismatch, which blocks issue of the pass in the first place.

Where do you complain about Divyang Shakti?

• APSRTC customer care: 0866-2570005 or 0866-2570149
• APSRTC portal: apsrtconline.in, which carries the corporation's complaint and feedback forms
• Your local APSRTC depot manager, for a conductor-level dispute, note the service number, date and time of the trip
• SADAREM or the district disabled welfare officer, where the problem is the disability record rather than the bus pass

No fee is charged for the Divyang Shakti pass. The pass is issued free through Mana Mitra WhatsApp, the APSRTC app or a depot counter, and no agent is authorised to charge for it.