The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) will take over the APSRTC and come to the rescue of the employees and the people in rural areas that depend on its operations, party official spokesperson and former Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy has said.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, Mr. Parthasarathy said that YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had already given the assurance to the RTC staff and the public that the government would take over the corporation and bring it back to its past glory.
The APSRTC was in deep financial crisis and the staff were afraid that the corporation would be closed and its operations wound up. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who neglected the corporation was responsible for the crisis, Mr. Parthasarathy alleged.
The State government that was giving all sorts of concessions to contractors and businessmen was not ready to give any concession or support to the RTC, Mr. Parthasarathy said.
Highest tax
Andhra Pradesh was collecting the highest tax on diesel and petrol from the public and even the RTC when compared to the neighbouring States. While neighbouring governments were introducing various steps for fuel economy, Andhra Pradesh was least bothered, the YSRCP leader pointed out. Without giving any support to the corporation, the State government was abusing the fleet of the corporation for promoting its non-productive activities like Polavaram project visits and Dharma Porata Deekshas, Mr. Parthasarathy said. Not a single rupee was reimbursed to the corporation for these extravagant expenditures, Mr. Parthasarathy said. Mr. Naidu should highlight the genuine problems of the RTC commuters and employees instead of making a hue and cry over not being allowed to conduct unnecessary review meetings. Telugu Desam Ministers were reduced to silent spectators to the actions of Mr. Naidu, the YSRCP leader said.
Varla hits back
Telugu Desam Party spokesperson Varla Ramaiah, in a retort to Mr. Parthasarathy, said that the latter was also a Minister and that the decisions taken at that time were the reason for the financial crisis the corporation was facing.