Privatisation of TSRTC high on Cabinet agenda

Hyderabad: The state government appears to be steadfast in its decision to increase private participation in operating TSRTC buses.

According to sources, the issue of RTC is going to dominate the agenda of the Cabinet meeting to be held on Friday. It is likely to discuss a draft TSRTC amendment bill which would facilitate the government to increase the number of private buses.

All the ministers have been asked to present a status report on alternative arrangements made in their respective constituencies since the RTC employees had gone on strike from October 5.

They have also been asked to explain the problems they had encountered in trying to operate RTC buses with hired drivers.

It may be recalled that soon after the RTC employees went on strike, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced that RTC was now a closed chapter and that 50 per cent of the buses will be owned by RTC, 30 per cent will be hired buses and 20 per cent will be stage carriers.

KCR is of the strong opinion that if the RTC is merged, the demand for merger of 56 other corporations will crop up and this will lead to greater problems.

The Cabinet will also analyse the study reports on the performance of the RTCs in other states, prepared by the officials. The RTC official teams had visited Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal and met their counterparts.

"KCR will seek the opinion of all ministers on allowing private operators in the RTC services and also the government's preparedness to face the ongoing RTC workers strike," said a source.

It will also discuss about the ongoing agitation and the proposed million march by TSRTC employees supported by other political parties.