Hike in bus fare is inevitable: Minister DC Thammanna
Bus fare likely to be hiked for New year
Bengaluru, December 27: Transport Minister DC Thammanna said that as the transport corporations were incurring losses due to repeated increase in petroleum prices, it was inevitable for the government to hike the bus fares.
Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha here on Thursday, the Minister said that shortly he would submit a proposal to the Chief Minister on hiking bus fare in KSRTC and BMTC buses. Recently, a proposal was submitted to hike 17 per cent bus fare. But the CM had withheld the proposal. The bus fare was hiked in 2013 when diesel price was Rs 53 per litre. Till now, the bus fare was not hiked, he said.
Because of diesel price hike, the government has been incurring Rs 677 crore loss annually. When proposal was submitted for 18 per cent hike, diesel price was Rs 74 per litre and now, the price was decreased to Rs 70 per litre. Even then, the corporations were under loss. Though it was not aimed at bringing the loss-making public sector transportation corporations, the CM would be requested once again to approve the proposal to hike the bus fare, he said.
GPS compulsory to private buses too
Like KSRTC buses, he has directed all private bus operators to install GPS equipment compulsorily. While plying on certain routes, the buses should not be stopped to get passengers wherever they want, he said.
Purchasing new buses
Total 7000 new buses including 4000 for KSRTC and 3000 for BMTC would be purchased for the corporation, the Minister said.
Most of the buses in the corporation were not in good condition. New buses would be commissioned in place of them. It was decided to purchase pollution-free buses to protect the environment in Bengaluru city, he said.
"After coalition government came to power in the state, steps were taken to fill vacancies in the department. The process of filling total 300 RTO was on".
- DC Thammanna, Transport Minister
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Commercial LPG price hiked by Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder
New Delhi (PTI): The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on Friday, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
A 19-kg commercial LPG - used by establishments such as hotels and restaurtants - now costs a record Rs 3,071.5 in Delhi as against Rs 2,078.50 previously.
Rates were last increased by 195.50 per cylinder on April 1. Prior to that, prices had gone up by Rs 114.5 per 19-kg cylinder on March 1.
In three increases, commercial LPG rates have gone up by Rs 1,303.
Prices of domestic cooking gas LPG - the one used in household kitchens - remained unchanged. Domestic LPG rates were last hiked by Rs 60 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 7. It costs Rs 913 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum revise ATF and LPG prices on the first day of every month based on international benchmarks and the exchange rate.
Global oil prices have shot up almost 50 per cent after the war in West Asia disrupted energy supply chains.
Petrol and diesel prices continue to remain frozen after a Rs 2 per-litre reduction in March last year; petrol currently costs Rs 94.72 per litre in Delhi and diesel Rs 87.62.
