KSRTC in deep financial crisis: union

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 3. The Kerala State Transport Mechanical Workers Union has said the mismanagement and wrong policies being followed by the management had resulted in the present financial crisis faced by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.

The union general secretary, Mr. K. P. Shankaradas, told a press conference here today that the claim of the management that the corporation was not facing any financial crisis was false.

According to the union, the corporation's loss had gone up by five times when the daily collection increased by five times during the last five years. The daily collection had gone up from Rs. 45 lakhs to Rs. 169 lakhs while the loss had mounted from Rs. 16.67 crores to Rs. 86 crores. The fares were hiked twice.

The corporation needs Rs. 17 for operating service in one km while the income from the same distance is Rs. 14 only. The KSRTC, which operates 13.5 lakhs service daily with its fleet, incurs an estimated loss of Rs. 40 lakhs.

Mr. Shankaradas blamed the Government for the financial crisis faced by the KSRTC. As the corporation operates bus services on the request of Government even if it is a loss-making route, it has to bear the burden of Rs. 96 crores. The LDF Government headed by Mr. Nayanar had not allocated funds to the corporation after it came to power in the State.

The Government had not provided any assistance during the last five years for the purchase of chassis. Although Rs. 100 crores was taken as loan from financial institution, he alleged that only half of it was used for the purchase of chassis.

He alleged that the KSRTC management was following anti-worker policies. All allowances of the employees had been frozen for the last two years, all those who had retired after 1998 had not been given their share from the welfare fund.

The union president said they have decided to intensify the strike by mechanical workers in front of the Transport Bhavan.

The union is demanding among other things filling up of vacant posts, additional grade to those who have completed 25 years and rectifying anomalies in the payscales. Mr. S. A. Rahim and Mr. J. Narayanan Nair were among those who attended the briefing.

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Section  : Southern States
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