KSRTC to introduce 1,000 buses every year: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, May 30 (UNI) Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will introduce 1,000 new buses to its fleet each year, State Transport Minister Mathew T Thomas said today.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme, organised by the Press Club here, he said the new package was to lift the Corporation from loss.

The Minister said the Left Democratic Front government had made the purchase of buses more transparent.

With the new system of tendering introduced by the government, the KSRTC was able to get TATA and Leyland bus chassis for Rs 647,250 and Rs 692,200 as against Rs 798,500 and Rs 810,814, respectively in the previous year, earning an additional revenue of Rs 30 crore.

Elaborating the various measures taken by the government to save the KSRTC from loss, he said the government was expecting to bring down the annual loss to Rs six crore from Rs 16 crore.

Claiming that the KSRTC had succeeded in increasing the tyre mileage and fuel efficiency with the training provided to drivers, the Minister said the government was planning to impart training to all staff in the Corporation to further improve its functioning.

He said the KSRTC would also review the inter-state permits.

As part of making the RTO offices in the state corruption free, their services would be made available through postal system, he said adding the government was also planning to introduce ''Janakeeya Samitis'' in RTO offices to help the public.

UNI