The issue of 950 electric buses that Kerala is supposed to get from the Centre is in doubt as the finance department is standing in the way despite the approval given by the transport department. Who does not know that in a country where the federal system exists, it would not be good to barricade things that should become useful to the people for the sake of mere political views. On October 4, the State Transport Department had agreed to accept 950 buses allocated by the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri E-Bus Seva scheme for running services in the cities of Kerala. Kerala had earlier turned its back on the Seva project, which deploys 10,000 electric buses in the country, fearing that the BJP would use it as a political weapon. After we published the news headlined 'KSRTC reluctant to accept 950 e-buses from Centre over concerns that BJP will take credit', then Transport Minister Antony Raju, who has now resigned, intervened and followed the necessary procedures from his department to get the bus. The Finance Department was informed that further steps should be taken, but as there was no move from the Finance Department, Kerala was not included in the tender process held on December 14.

No one seems to expect this kind of approach from the government which laments that it is not even getting its fair share from the Centre. It is hard to even imagine something like that with the popular and brilliant KN Balagopal as the finance minister. There are some officials who obstruct anything and everything related to the finance department no matter which government is in charge. As the Chief Minister mentioned the other day, it is a habit. If this is the malice of one of such obstructing heroes, then they should be stopped immediately.

According to the plan, the centre will bear 40.7 percent of the bus rent. KSRTC will bear the rest of the rent and the expenditure of the conductor. KSRTC will get to keep the revenue. To get the buses under the scheme, the finance department has to make a payment security mechanism, which is a government guarantee. For this, a corpus fund of 83 crores should be created in collaboration with the central government out of which 48 crores is state share. The Corpus Fund is meant to ensure the government guarantee to the bus company for proper payment of rent and the uninterrupted supply of electricity. Other states which met all these criteria have already got 3975 buses. The government needs to take immediate action to remove all obstacles in this matter and get the buses we need. The government, which always repeats that the development of the state is the most important thing, must have that policy approach in this matter as well.