Politics of transport hits Assam government

Guwahati, Jun 26: On a day when ruling partners in Asom, Congress and BPPF are meeting to find out a common name for their alliance, senior Congress leader Anjan Dutta's outburst against Transport Minister Chandan Brahma of BPPF has already caused embarrassment for the ruling coalition.

Mr Brahma has criticised the previous Congress regime for the losses incurred by the Asom State Transport Corporation(ASTC), which according to him were to the tune of Rs one crore a month.

The episode surfaced exactly a month after the ruling coalition assumed office in the state.

Mr Dutta, who was Transport Minister in the previous Tarun Gogoi government, hitting back at the criticism, told newspersons here the average monthly income of ASTC from its 70 on-road buses was about Rs. 0.20 crores against the monthly salary requirement of Rs. 2.20 crores.

Concurrently the state government provided Non-Plan Budget Assistance for Rs. 10.40 crores during 2001-2002, still leaving a deficit of Rs. 13.60 crores in the salary component only.

''Nevertheless, the government initiated a host of measures to infuse fresh blood into the dying organisation with which the sentiments of people of the state were associated.'' As part of long term revival measure, Voluntary Retirement Scheme(VRS) was mooted to pay out the excess employees and self Employment Scheme launched in 2001 to bring private bus operators under the ASTC umbrella, thus utilising the extensive infrastructure base available, Mr Dutta said.

On the other hand, reverting from the previous system EPF account was opened with the EPF Commissioner and Rs. 18.12 crores(approx) was remitted, thus clearing the EPF deposits of employees retiring up to the year 2010-2011, Mr Dutta said. ''Concurrently, augmenting its on-road fleet strength to 290 from the 70 on-road buses inherited from the previous AGP government, the net income from ASTC's own buses and sources of income such as rent, leases and services during the period 2001-2006 was Rs. 23.15 crores,'' he added.

The Non-Plan Budget support received from the state government during 2002-2007(10th Five year plan) was Rs. 40.96 crores against Rs. 44.40 crores during 1997-2001 (9th Five year plan) when the AGP ruled the state, he pointed out.

''When the Congress government under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi took over the ASTC bus stations were deserted and in a dilapidated condition. As the budgetary support received from the government during the initial stages was exhausted to meet the salaries, steps could not be initiated for repairs of the stations and yards. With no way out initially the improvement/up-gradation of passenger amenities amounting to Rs 1.50 crores(approx) was carried out through public donations from which Paltan bazaar,Mawhkhowa stations in Guwahati and Jagiroad, Jakhalabandha, Dergaon,Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia stations were benefited,'' he said.

''Thus, it can be construed that the recent statement of the minister is not based on facts. The baffling statement made by him was made in isolation without taking prevailing factors into consideration,'' he remarked.

''I would also request him to review his announcement to allow employees to operate ASTC buses on contractual basis. The proposal has an intrinsic administrative flaw as service conditions and business considerations cannot run concurrently. Optimum utilisation of the services of the existing employees may be made in other forms to extract maximum returns of human resources,'' Mr Dutta said.

UNI