Plea for new policy to make transport dept vibrant
While employees were facing ordeal, those who retired were unable to enjoy the full retirement benefits
Chennai: Stressing the need for bringing out a separate policy for transport department outlining measures to bring the department out of the red, former Minister N. Suresh Rajan urged the government not to implement GST for old buses that serve the public at present.
Initiating a debate on the demand for grants for the Transport Department in the Assembly on Saturday, he claimed that the transport corporations were making losses and facing a huge financial burden.
While employees were facing ordeal, those who retired were unable to enjoy the full retirement benefits. He also mentioned about the plight of employees and mounting debts being incurred by the transport corporations which have mortgaged their properties with the banks - an issue that was highlighted in the Deccan Chronicle.
"The government should take immediate steps to redeem buses that have been impounded and also not to implement GST on the transport sector till new buses are pressed into service," Rajan said.
He claimed that the Tatkal booking for government buses that has been announced by the government during 2016-17 fiscal has not taken off yet. Moreover, commuters who seek refund on the online mode have to wait for a fortnight to get back the sum, he alleged.
