The Hindu Business Line : Bus stir in Kerala: Ministerial panel set up

A THREE-MEMBER ministerial committee has been set up to hold discussions with private bus operators in the State, who have been on strike for the past three years demanding hike in bus fares, among others.

Announcing this after a meeting of the State Cabinet, the Chief Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, said the Council of Ministers was of the considered opinion that no unilateral decision on revising the fares was possible given the fact that both the aggrieved parties - the fleet owners and the public - had valid reasons for arguing their respective cases for and against.

A series of hikes in petroleum prices had made it difficult for the fleet owners to carry on for long without revising the fares, while the public could not be taken for granted and a unilateral decision hoisted on it in the matter.

However, according to Mr Antony, the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac), an autonomous body under the State Government, had recommended a 20 per cent hike in the fares. This also had to be weighed in while arriving at decision, he added.

It is in this context that a Cabinet sub-committee, comprising Ministers, Mr R. Balakrishna Pillai (Transport), Mr Babu Divakaran (Labour) and Mr K. Sudhakaran (Forests), was being set up to talk to the bus operators for arriving at an amicable settlement.

In another decision, the Cabinet decided to set up another four-member sub-committee on finalising a package offering relief for distressed farmers.

Ms K.R. Gowri (Agriculture), Mr K. Sankaranarayanan (Finance), Mr K.M. Mani (Revenue) and Mr M. V. Raghavan (Cooperation) will be members of the ministerial panel.

Recommendations being made by the panel would be taken on record for consideration by a special meeting of the Cabinet to be convened on July 30, the Chief Minister said.