The government has targeted turning around the fortunes of the ailing Kerala State Road Transport Corporation during the 2017-18 fiscal.
In his budget speech, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac expressed optimism that the fiscal would be the “year of revival” for the transport utility. In order to achieve operational profit, the government would adopt various measures, even while ensuring that there was no disruption in salary and pension disbursal.
To attain a balance between income and expenditure within three years, the government would formulate a revival and rejuvenation package after holding discussions with employees’ unions.
The Prof. Susheel Khanna report on the proposed package was under consideration. As part of the package, ₹3,000 crore would be made available within the next three years. While it would not be in the form of subsidy, capital investments would be made for making the utility profitable.
The management would be restructured and professionals roped in to aid in the ongoing efforts. The existing practice of double duty system would not be continued.
Various aspects, including utilisation of fleet, average kilometre covered by buses a day, mileage, and collection per kilometre, would be enhanced. At the same time, the breakdown rate, period of maintenance, rate of accident, etc., should be brought down.
