Chennai, Oct 28 (IANS) PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the Tamil Nadu government to release funds in advance every month for the Vettri Payanam free bus travel scheme, warning that transport corporations are struggling to meet essential operating expenses.
In a statement, he alleged that delayed compensation for the expanded scheme had left the corporations facing a revenue shortfall of about Rs 25 crore, affecting purchases of diesel, tyres and spare parts.
Anbumani said daily operating receipts, excluding government subsidies, had fallen from an average of Rs 21 crore to between Rs 7 crore and Rs 8 crore.
Citing trade unions, he said total daily income, including subsidies for other schemes, had declined from Rs 47 crore to Rs 22 crore.
The expanded Vettri Payanam scheme was launched on October 2, widening the free travel facility previously offered under the DMK government’s Vidiyal Payanam programme.
According to figures cited by Anbumani, the earlier programme covered 7,714 city buses, while the expanded scheme now enables about 84.32 lakh women to travel daily on 12,695 buses.
He said the corporations operated 19,283 buses across the state. Compensation for the earlier scheme was estimated at Rs 3,599 crore last year and increased to Rs 3,999 crore this year, he said.
The expansion had raised the estimated daily revenue foregone from around Rs 10 crore to Rs 25 crore, he added.
Highlighting the immediate funding gap, Anbumani said the corporations spent Rs 16.17 crore daily on diesel and Rs 2.35 crore on maintenance, totalling Rs 18.52 crore.
Daily fare collections of around Rs 8 crore were insufficient to cover these expenses, he argued. He further claimed that the corporations had accumulated Rs 150 crore in dues to oil companies since the expanded scheme began.
Buying diesel on credit over the past 25 days had also cost them approximately Rs 3 crore in foregone discounts, he said, citing a two per cent concession for cash payments.
The shortage of funds was forcing operators to use retreaded tyres and previously used spare parts, he alleged.
Warning that continued financial strain could bring transport operations to a standstill, Anbumani reiterated that advance monthly funding was essential to sustain the free travel scheme and ensure uninterrupted bus services.
He urged immediate government intervention to address the cash shortage.
—IANS
aal/rad