Free KSRTC travel for women won’t affect salaries, pensions: Minister
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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Transport Minister C P John on Saturday assured that the state government’s free travel scheme for women on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses will be implemented from June 15 without affecting the salaries and pensions of KSRTC employees.
Speaking to a television channel, John said the cost of implementing the concession could not be met solely from the revenue generated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and would require financial support from the state treasury.
“Everyone knows that the expense of providing the travel concession cannot be met from KSRTC revenue alone. It cannot be done without the support of the government treasury. Therefore, the Cabinet has to take a decision regarding it. In short, the government’s decision to provide free travel for women will be implemented through the KSRTC,” he said.
The minister said further details regarding the implementation of the scheme would be announced after discussions in the Cabinet. He, however, declined to reveal the exact financial burden the move would place on KSRTC, only describing it as a “huge amount”.
John also stated that Chief Minister V D Satheesan, who also holds the Finance portfolio, would announce the categories of KSRTC services in which the scheme would be implemented, as the required funds would come from the Finance Department.
Reiterating the government’s commitment, the minister said the free travel concession would come into force on June 15 and would not disrupt the payment of salaries and pensions to KSRTC employees.
The free bus travel scheme for women was one of the “Indira Guarantees” promised by the Congress-led United Democratic Front during the Assembly election campaign. Following the alliance’s victory in the polls, the first Cabinet meeting of the new government decided to roll out the concession on KSRTC buses from June 15.
With PTI inputs