PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on 28 October 2026 called on the Tamil Nadu government to release funds in advance every month for the Vettri Payanam free bus travel scheme, warning that state transport corporations were struggling to cover basic operating costs. He alleged that delayed compensation had left corporations facing a daily revenue shortfall of roughly ₹25 crore.

Scale of the Financial Strain

According to figures cited by Anbumani, daily operating receipts excluding government subsidies had fallen sharply — from an earlier average of ₹21 crore to just ₹7–8 crore. Citing trade union data, he added that total daily income, including subsidies from other schemes, had dropped from ₹47 crore to ₹22 crore.

On the expenditure side, corporations reportedly spend ₹16.17 crore daily on diesel and ₹2.35 crore on maintenance — a combined ₹18.52 crore — against daily fare collections of only around ₹8 crore. Anbumani argued this arithmetic makes the corps financially unviable without timely state disbursement.

How the Expanded Scheme Changed the Numbers

The Vettri Payanam scheme was launched on 2 October, broadening the free travel facility that had previously existed under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government's Vidiyal Payanam programme. Where the earlier scheme covered 7,714 city buses, the expanded version now enables approximately 84.32 lakh women to travel daily across 12,695 buses — part of a statewide fleet of 19,283 buses.

The estimated daily revenue foregone has risen commensurately: from around ₹10 crore under the earlier scheme to ₹25 crore under the expanded one. Annual compensation to corporations for the earlier programme was estimated at ₹3,599 crore last year and revised upward to ₹3,999 crore this year, according to Anbumani.

Accumulated Dues and Operational Fallout

Anbumani alleged that corporations had accumulated ₹150 crore in dues to oil companies since the expanded scheme began operating. Procuring diesel on credit over the past 25 days had also cost them approximately ₹3 crore in foregone discounts, he said, noting that oil companies offer a two per cent concession for cash payments.

The cash crunch was reportedly forcing operators to use retreaded tyres and previously used spare parts rather than new components — a practice that raises concerns about passenger safety and fleet longevity.

What Anbumani Is Demanding

The PMK leader reiterated that advance monthly funding is the only sustainable fix, warning that continued financial strain could bring bus operations to a standstill and disrupt services for lakhs of daily commuters. He urged the state government to intervene immediately to bridge the cash gap and protect uninterrupted public transport across Tamil Nadu.

With the scheme still in its early weeks, how the government responds to this funding pressure will determine whether one of the state's flagship welfare programmes can sustain itself without crippling the very corporations that run it.