IANS/Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala Chief Minister Oomnen Chandy yesterday said the state government was prepared to take over the burden of salaries and pensions of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) but made clear its operations would have to be revamped.
“KSRTC cannot function the way it is presently being run and if the state government has to take over the pension and salary, there has to be a complete overhaul of the system. And for that, the employees have to co-operate,” Chandy said.
The corporation was established by the Kerala government on March 15, 1965, and today it has 6,143 buses with a daily collection of over Rs50mn. But every month the state government has to bail it out with financial assistance to pay the salaries of around 37,000 permanent staff and pensions to an equal number.
“We are very much aware of the role that the KSRTC plays as a public utility meant to provide succour to the ordinary people of the state, but this cannot go on like this with the state government every time pumping in funds to pay salaries and pensions,” Chandy said.
“We will come out with certain recommendations and we wish that the employees co-operate. We assure them there is not going to be any cutting down of salaries or jobs. We will come out with the recommendations on how this can be run,” Chandy said.
The KSRTC is finding it difficult to even borrow from financial institutions as it has crossed all limits.
