THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A war of words broke out between the ruling front and the opposition in the assembly over the crisis in Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Thursday.
The opposition agreed to the government stand to approach the court against the hike in fuel prices sold to bulk purchasers, but it said that by dividing the corporation and forming a new company Swift, the government is leaving the transport corporation to a slow death.
Replying to a leave sought for adjournment motion by Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnantransport minister Antony Raju said KSRTC used to buy diesel at 10% lower rate than the retail price, but now the rates have been increased to such an extent that on Wednesday alone, the corporation needed Rs 75-83 lakh more for the purchase.
He said due to the price hike, KSRTC will have to shell out an extra Rs 25 crore every month. He said the corporation will approach the high court against the hike in fuel prices for the bulk purchasers, saying it was unjustified. He said while the previous UDF government had given a financial assistance of just about Rs 1,534.86 crore to KSRTC, the last LDF government granted Rs 4,924 crore.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan countered that the figures presented by the minister themselves reveal the state of the transport corporation then and now, as it has landed in a situation where the government had to provide such a huge financial assistance to it.
Agreeing to the minister’s observation regarding the price hike in bulk purchase of fuel, he said the opposition would stand with the government in approaching the court against the increase in price of diesel and petrol.
At the same time, he said the government has the duty to provide fuel subsidy to the corporation, as the state had received an additional Rs 5,000 crore in the past five years from the Centre from the additional revenue earned through the increase in fuel prices.
He said that all claims of the government apart, party MLAs have been receiving several complaints regarding the cancellation of KSRTC services in several routes.
“The KSRTC is not intended to make profit, it is a service that is depended on by lakhs of ordinary people. The 15% of profitable services included in the new company SWIFT would help it become a profitable company, but the remaining 85% that forms the real KSRTC is staring at a huge loss,” he said.
Satheesan said the government that is planning to borrow crores for the SilverLine project is unwilling to spend even Rs 2,000 crore to revive KSRTC.
The transport minister, meanwhile, listed out the steps taken by the government to revive the organization. He said as many as 1,336 new buses will be inducted to the KSRTC in the next 18 months. Even those buses that are in non-operational condition are being utilized for innovative ideas by joining hands with Milma, KTDC and Kudumbashree. The opposition later staged a walk-out after speaker M B Rajesh denied permission for the adjournment motion.
The opposition agreed to the government stand to approach the court against the hike in fuel prices sold to bulk purchasers, but it said that by dividing the corporation and forming a new company Swift, the government is leaving the transport corporation to a slow death.
Replying to a leave sought for adjournment motion by Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnantransport minister Antony Raju said KSRTC used to buy diesel at 10% lower rate than the retail price, but now the rates have been increased to such an extent that on Wednesday alone, the corporation needed Rs 75-83 lakh more for the purchase.
He said due to the price hike, KSRTC will have to shell out an extra Rs 25 crore every month. He said the corporation will approach the high court against the hike in fuel prices for the bulk purchasers, saying it was unjustified. He said while the previous UDF government had given a financial assistance of just about Rs 1,534.86 crore to KSRTC, the last LDF government granted Rs 4,924 crore.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan countered that the figures presented by the minister themselves reveal the state of the transport corporation then and now, as it has landed in a situation where the government had to provide such a huge financial assistance to it.
Agreeing to the minister’s observation regarding the price hike in bulk purchase of fuel, he said the opposition would stand with the government in approaching the court against the increase in price of diesel and petrol.
At the same time, he said the government has the duty to provide fuel subsidy to the corporation, as the state had received an additional Rs 5,000 crore in the past five years from the Centre from the additional revenue earned through the increase in fuel prices.
He said that all claims of the government apart, party MLAs have been receiving several complaints regarding the cancellation of KSRTC services in several routes.
“The KSRTC is not intended to make profit, it is a service that is depended on by lakhs of ordinary people. The 15% of profitable services included in the new company SWIFT would help it become a profitable company, but the remaining 85% that forms the real KSRTC is staring at a huge loss,” he said.
Satheesan said the government that is planning to borrow crores for the SilverLine project is unwilling to spend even Rs 2,000 crore to revive KSRTC.
The transport minister, meanwhile, listed out the steps taken by the government to revive the organization. He said as many as 1,336 new buses will be inducted to the KSRTC in the next 18 months. Even those buses that are in non-operational condition are being utilized for innovative ideas by joining hands with Milma, KTDC and Kudumbashree. The opposition later staged a walk-out after speaker M B Rajesh denied permission for the adjournment motion.