Srinagar, April 2 -- Women in Jammu and Kashmir will now be able to avail government bus services for free as chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday officially unveiled the services in the Union territory.

The National Conference (NC) government, in its first budget in the UT, had announced free travel for women in J&K in all State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) and Smart City buses.

Flanked by senior officers, ministers and party leaders, Omar launched the free service, at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

Soon after launching the service, Omar said the free travel for women in J&K is a significant step towards their empowerment.

"From April 1, SRTC and smart city vehicles will be free to board f...