From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Sep 3: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that a panel of experts will be constituted to suggest reforms and improvements to make all Karnataka State Road Transport Corporations profitable.

Addressing a function at the banquet hall of Vidhana Soudha on Friday to mark KSRTC and its sister organisations turning 60 years, the Chief Minister said the State Road Transport undertakings were in trouble due to mounting losses and it was necessary to find solutions to make them viable.

 Though KSRTC and its sister organisations have the capacity to earn revenue and earn income, it is sad that they were under losses. The State Road Transport undertakings have their own innate strengths and a vast network with huge fleet of buses and staff. “We need to find out ways and means to make them viable and become self-sustaining,’’ he said.

The Chief Minister said the State Government pumped in Rs 2,300 crore to the State Road Transport undertakings for payment of staff salaries and to meet other expenses during the Covid-19 period, when the operations had to be shut down and subsequently skeleton services with restricted seating capacity had to be operated. “Even after I assumed office as Chief Minister, Rs 108 crore was released,’’ he said.

He underscored the need to improve the profitability and bring about changes in the operational procedures along with steps to improve efficiency. The working conditions of the employees also need to be improved. It is necessary to evolve comprehensive strategies to turn around the State Road Transport undertakings.

The Chief Minister pointed out that public transport system has retained its identity throughout the world despite the technological advances and changes. The bus drivers work with utmost responsibility as they are the custodians of the lives of the passengers, he said warmly complimenting the bus drivers and other staff.

Bommai noted that the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has purchased 90 electricity operated and environment friendly buses while KSRTC is adding 642 new buses to its fleet.

He appreciated the use of modern technology in the KSRTC workshops and advised that technological usage must be stepped up to modernise the work methods and improve efficiency.

As many as 60 bus drivers of the four State Road Transport undertakings were honoured at the function for their accident free record. A postal cover and a souvenir to mark the completion of 60 years of KSRTC service were also released. In addition, digital learning programme in association with IT giant Infosys for the benefit of the employees and their family members and also a system for online redressal of grievances of employees were also launched.

Transport Minister B Sriramulu, Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh, KSRTC Chairman Chandrappa, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad, Transport Department Secretary Rajendra Kumar Kataria, Karnataka Chief Post Master General Sharada Sampath, KSRTC Managing Director Shivayogi Kalsad and others participated in the function.

Governor, CM felicitate Tokyo Olympics Participants

State Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai felicitated the participants of Tokyo Olympics 2020 from Karnataka at a function organised by the Youth Empowerment and Sport Department.

Sericulture and Sports Minister K C Narayana Gowda participated in the function, when the Tokyo Olympics participants were presented with cash prizes by the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister received grievances from the public at his residence in RT Nagar in the city.