Thiruvananthapuram: The minimum charges in the ordinary buses of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) have been hiked from Rs 6 to Rs 7.
State Transport Minister A K Saseendran told reporters here Tuesday that the Cabinet has decided to fix the fares in KSRTC ordinary buses at Rs 7.
On the financial crisis faced by KSRTC, he said the government stand is that it cannot be resolved by taking loans and pushing the Corporation into further debts.
"The main problem is the huge gap between the revenue and expenditure of the Corporation. The system of taking loans and resolving the issue temporarily has plunged the Corporation into crisis," he said.
He said the previous UDF government’s decision to reduce the minimum charges in KSRTC ordinary buses by Rs One on the eve of assembly polls was a "popularity measure."
The total debt of the Corporation stood at Rs 3000 crores, he added.