THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned Rs 9,000 crore as a one-year financial assistance to its transport corporation, Kerala has sanctioned only Rs 1,600 crore to KSRTC. Step motherly attitude of the state government towards KSRTC can be understood from this figure itself. The amount allocated by the Tamil Nadu government is to meet the loss of revenue incurred by the Transport Corporation by implementing various freebies, purchasing new buses, and carrying out renovation projects. Other states also help their transport corporations in similar ways. However, even when the travel of school students was made completely free in Kerala, the government did not pay even a single paisa to KSRTC. Out of the current annual allocation of Rs 1600 crore, Rs 864 crore is for pension and Rs 360 crore is for loan repayment. Only 376 crores remain.

KSRTC is running at a loss of 60 crores to 66 crores per month. Even if the revenue-expenditure gap is estimated at 60 crores per month, the annual loss is Rs 720 crores.

In the last budget, an amount of 75 crores for buying buses, 30 crores for renovation of workshops, 20 crores for setting up computer networks, and 15.55 crores for e-mobility was allocated but nothing was given. The loan announced to be given from KIIFB to buy buses was also not given. Although CMD Biju Prabhakar requested Rs 250 crore as working capital, it was not granted. The MDs who were in charge earlier had demanded that the diesel tax be waived. Not only was it not granted, but the recently introduced Rs 2 fuel cess was applied to KSRTC also. An additional liability of 2.10 crore per month was also incurred in that respect.

CMD change is not under consideration

Chief Secretary V Venu said that the matter will be considered by the government only when Biju Prabhakar gives an official letter requesting to remove him from the post of CMD of KSRTC.