Private bus operators have come out against the policies of the State and Union governments, which allegedly deepen the crisis in the industry, and the alleged discrimination meted out to it by the State.
Price of high speed diesel had gone up by ₹4 in the past 10 days and had touched ₹80 a litre, Kerala State Private Bus Operators Federation president M.B. Satyan and general secretary Lawerence Babu said on Monday.
“How can a government discriminate the private and public sector of an industry that is catering to the mobility needs? The State government should come up with steps to protect the private bus industry on the lines of the help being extended to the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC),” they said.
Listing out the financial aid being provided to the KSRTC in addition to the support for disbursing salary and pension and monthly interim relief of ₹1,500 to employees, the federation leaders said ₹255 crore was given to settle the salary recovery dues to the LIC, KSFE, banks and other financial institutions and for the reimbursement due to the employees. The government has also decided to write off ₹961 crore due from the State transport undertaking.
In addition to these, the KSRTC had been given exemption from paying road tax till March 2021 as per a notification issued in 2019. The KSRTC had also been exempted from the renewal fees for obtaining Certificate of Fitness and payment of the Green Tax.
On the other hand, Mr. Satyan said, the private bus operators had not been given any exemption. The demand for exempting the road tax for the quarter beginning October was also not heeded to.
At the same time, the KSRTC, which was in the red, was being provided funds from the exchequer to pay the monthly salary and pension. The government had announced that it would write off ₹961 crore due to it from the KSRTC and has decided to convert a ₹3,194 crore loan as equity. In addition, the KSRTC would get ₹255 crore for medical reimbursement and for repaying the amount collected from the monthly salary of the employees and to be paid to the LIC, KSFE and other financial institutions. The permanent employees would be given ₹1,500 as monthly interim relief when the private bus operators were finding it difficult to find money for the fuel bill, they added.
