Naidu to Discuss Free Bus Sop, Likely to Launch by Sankranti

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, aiming to implement the Super Six promises in his election manifesto, is likely to roll out the 'free RTC bus travel for women’ scheme by Sankranti.

Naidu and his ministers would discuss the scheme's implementation at the state cabinet meeting on November 6. It would b e rolled out from the auspicious day on January 14.

There was a good response to the implementation of another of the Super Six promises -- the three free gas refills to the white ration card holders. Five lakh beneficiaries availed this facility in the past four days.

Ministers BC Janardhan Reddy, Kollu Ravindra and Ramprasad Reddy affirmed that the free bus travel scheme would be implemented by Sankranti.

Sources said APSRTC officials have prepared a blueprint for its implementation. Teams of officials visited Telangana and Karnataka, where this scheme was implemented. They studied the modalities adopted by the two governments.

As of now, APSRTC receives an average of `500 crore per month in revenue through tickets. Of this, up to `220 crore is spent on diesel.

APSRTC pays an average of ` 125 crore (25 per cent) of the revenue per month to the government. Now, the government has to give up this amount and should give another `250 crore to RTC for the free travel scheme. This would mean the state will have to bear a burden of `375crore per month from implementation of this election promise.

The YSRC government had merged RTC into the government. Thereafter, the government is paying the salaries of the RTC employees.

APSRTC pays an average of ` 125 crore (25 per cent) of the revenue per month to the government. Now, the government has to give up this amount and should give another `250 crore to RTC for the free travel scheme. This would mean the state will have to bear a burden of `375crore per month from implementation of this election promise.