Free travel for women in KSRTC won't affect salaries, pensions of its staff: Minister John

Kerala's free travel scheme for women in KSRTC buses is set to begin on June 15, with the government covering the costs through the treasury.

Kerala Road Transport Minister C P John on Saturday assured that the free travel for women in KSRTC buses will come into effect from June 15 and it will not affect the corporation employees' salaries and pensions.

John said that everyone knows the cost of providing the travel concession cannot be met from the revenue of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).

''It cannot be done without the support of the government treasury. So, the Cabinet has to take a decision regarding that. In short, the government decision to provide free travel to women will be implemented through the KSRTC,'' he told a TV channel here.

The details regarding its implementation will be disclosed after discussing it in the Cabinet, he added.

The minister also declined to disclose the actual figures of the extra financial burden on KSRTC due to implementation of the scheme, but said it was a huge amount.

He also said that Chief Minister V D Satheesan will disclose in which all services of KSRTC the scheme will be implemented as he is also the in-charge of the Finance Department from where the funds have to come for this.

John made it clear that the scheme will be implemented from June 15 and it would not affect the payment of salaries and pensions of the KSRTC employees.

The free travel concession is one of the Indira guarantees promised by the Congress-led UDF during the assembly poll campaign.

Following its win in the assembly polls, the first Cabinet meeting of the UDF decided to implement the travel concession in KSRTC buses from June 15.