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Partial nationalisation of Goa's buses likely to scrapped

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

The long-awaited partial nationalisation of bus transport within the state of Goa is likely to be scrapped due to Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro's soft corner for the all-powerful private bus lobby.

"I want private enterprise to flourish," says the Congress chief minister. However, his critics point out that he has no intention of drawing up a concrete plan to shore up the state-owned Kadamba Transport Corporation, currently in doldrums due to mismanagement and operations on less profitable routes.

To counter the Rs 30 million annual losses, the erstwhile Congress government led by Pratapsing Rane had taken a firm decision to nationalise three trunk routes linking major towns of Panaji, Margao and Vasco.

Rane's successor Dr Wilfred de Souza, during the short-lived non-Congress coalition government's run, carried forward the plan and had even invited public objections. But his government collapsed within three-and-a-half months before the nationalisation could be effected.

Around 200 KTC buses out of 320 are off-roads while 600 workers out of 1,850 are sitting idle due to shortage of buses.

Besides paying them salaries to the tune of nearly Rs 100 million annually, the KTC also spends around Rs 180 million on maintenance, besides paying Rs 21.6 million towards interest on the bank loans taken in the past.

Although the KTC has taken an additional loan of Rs 50 million from the Goa State Co-operative Bank Limited to purchase 50 new buses and to get 20 old buses repaired in next two months, this is not seen as oxygen supply to a corporation having breathing problems.

Meanwhile, Faleiro has signed a settlement with the striking KTC workers to implement the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations, which would mean an additional annual burden of Rs 36 million.

"The KTC can make profit even if the nationalisation plan is implemented," feels All India Trade Union Congress leader Christopher Fonseca, who heads the KTC Workers Union. He has assured total co-operation to the KTC to root out corruption and mismanagement, which is part of the rehabilitation package Faleiro has now worked out.

But his stand against nationalisation has stunned even his cabinet colleagues. "We won't be able to implement the package effectively if the three trunk routes are not nationalised," admits KTC Chairman and state legislature member Arecio de Souza (the Congress).

As debates rage over ways of helping KTC to make profits, the focus is now on families of private bus-owners. Uncertainty seems to envelope their future. Private operators are generally viewed as the people responsible for overcrowding of roads, dangerous driving and mishaps. The public perception is not helping the KTC cause.

Business News

Goa