Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Gram Gadi Yojana — ₹18/km Rural Bus Support

Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Gram Gadi Yojana is a rural transport scheme run by the Transport Department, Government of Jharkhand. Its job is to draw private bus operators onto village routes that would otherwise stay unserved, and then keep those services economically viable once they start.

The connectivity it targets is quite specific. Villages are meant to be linked with block and district headquarters, medical institutions, colleges, schools, main roads and commercial centres, so that rural residents can reach work, education, healthcare and markets without struggling for transport. That is the last-mile gap the scheme is built around — and at the same time it opens a business opportunity for local transport entrepreneurs.

Support arrives in two forms. An operator gets a per-kilometre payment that rises with the seating capacity of the bus, and is relieved of a long list of statutory charges such as road tax, permit fees, registration fees and fitness inspection fees. Routes can be sanctioned for up to 125 km, permits are issued by the Regional Transport Authority, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no closing date.

• Per-km assistance of ₹7.50 to ₹18, scaled by bus seating capacity (7–42 seats)
• Road tax, permit, application, registration and fitness inspection fees all waived
• Fuel and operational cost subsidies for eligible operators
• Priority access at government bus stands, plus toll, stand fee and municipal entry fee exemptions
• Route permits sanctioned for up to 125 km
• No application deadline — applications are accepted on a rolling basis

Who can apply: private bus operators who are registered in Jharkhand and are willing to run scheduled services on approved rural routes under the scheme's fare rules.

• The applicant must be a private bus operator registered in Jharkhand.
• The vehicle must be a new light or medium commercial four-wheeler with seating for 7 to 42 passengers, excluding the driver.
• The bus has to meet the requirements of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and carry either a Hard Top or Soft Top body.
• Operators must agree to ply the route they are allotted and to charge the fares fixed by the government.
• Routes that connect rural areas with block or district headquarters, schools, colleges, hospitals and main roads are given preference during selection.
• Operators who have broken permit conditions in the past may be excluded from the scheme.

Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Gram Gadi Yojana — ₹18/km Rural Bus Support is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Gram Gadi Yojana — ₹18/km Rural Bus Support accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

The scheme combines a running payment with a set of waivers that cut the fixed cost of operating a bus.

Per-kilometre assistance, by seating capacity:

• 7 to 12 seats — ₹7.50 per km
• 13 to 24 seats — ₹10.50 per km
• 25 to 32 seats — ₹14.50 per km
• 33 to 42 seats — ₹18 per km

Fee and tax relief: operators are exempt from road tax, permit fees, application fees, registration fees and fitness inspection fees.

Operational support: subsidies are available towards running costs such as diesel and other fuel expenses, which reduces the day-to-day burden of keeping a bus on the road.

Route and terminal advantages: permits can be granted for routes of up to 125 km, giving operators a viable span of operations, and they get priority access at government bus stands along with exemption from stand fees, tolls and municipal entry fees.

Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Gram Gadi Yojana — ₹18/km Rural Bus Support is offered by Transport Department, Government of Jharkhand, a government body. As a government-backed grant, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India.

Applications are handled offline and assessed by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

• Collect the form from your Regional Transport Office (RTO) or download it from the official transport department website.
• Fill it in with your personal details, the specifications of the vehicle you plan to deploy, and the route you propose to operate.
• Attach the supporting documents listed in the application guidelines.
• Submit the form at the RTO along with a nominal fee of ₹1.
• RTA review: the authority checks the application against the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the conditions of the scheme. Routes linking rural areas to block or district headquarters, schools, colleges, hospitals and main roads are preferred, and operators with a record of permit violations may be excluded.
• Permit issue: once approved, the route permit is granted for the specified rural route, and operations can begin as per the approved schedule.
• Ongoing compliance: the operator must keep to the schedule and the prescribed fare structure. A renewal application can be filed after five years, if applicable, based on satisfactory performance.

Before you apply to Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Gram Gadi Yojana — ₹18/km Rural Bus Support, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.