Opposition leader R Ashoka criticised the state government for increasing ticket prices for KSRTC buses
Bengaluru: The state administration has come under fire from R Ashoka, the leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, for raising bus tickets for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) by 15%. He said that on Saturday, January 4, the BJP will protest the judgment across the whole state.
“They have no money and must provide the transport department about Rs. 4000 crores. This was thus the simple course of action,” Ashoka told ANI on Thursday.
“The woman gets it for free, but the husband gets twice as much… Since this is a commission government, they are acting on behalf of the commission. This Friday, I’m going to protest. And on Saturday, the day after tomorrow, the BJP will stage a demonstration across the whole state,” he said.
It is anticipated that Karnataka’s 15% increase in bus fares would result in a considerable increase in income of Rs 74.85 crore per month and around Rs 784 crore per year. The goal of this change is to lessen the financial strain on the state’s flagship Shakti program, which offers women free bus transportation on state-owned buses.
The government spends around Rs 417 crore a month on the Shakti initiative, which was introduced last year. Each corporation is given Rs 104 crore.
The Congress administration was charged by BJP MLA Dheeraj Muniraju with “looting the people.”
“This government is not doing anybody any favors. While distributing Rs. 2,000, they are deducting Rs. 20,000 from the urban population and more than Rs. 5,000–6,000 from the rural population. The people are being plundered by them. Women are receiving free bus tickets, while males are paying more than twice as much,” Muniraju said.
On Thursday, Karnataka Minister HK Patil said that a 15% rise in KSRTC bus ticket pricing had been agreed upon by the state cabinet. The ticket price hike will take effect on January 5, 2025.
He said that the corporation’s continuous financial difficulties were the reason for the fare rise.
“This 15 percent has been increased due to the present deficit that the company is experiencing… Patil clarified that this increment will result in a monthly return of Rs 74.84 crores.
Following a ten-year hiatus, the fee increase is intended to offset KSRTC’s increasing operating expenses, which have been exacerbated by factors such as rising fuel prices.
Additionally, Patil said that five years before, when fuel costs were far lower, other firms had enacted comparable rate hikes.
“The price in other corporations, the enhancement of rates, was done five years back when the rate of diesel was around 68 rupees,” he said. The increase in fuel costs, worker pay increases, and other economic considerations are the reasons for the latest raise.
All KSRTC buses in the state would be subject to the higher tariffs, which are anticipated to bring in a significant sum of money and assist the organization in overcoming its financial shortfall.
“The government has approved raising the rate to 15%, and company buses will be subject to this change. Beginning on January 5th, the new fare will be in effect,” Patil said.
