Maharashtra govt approves Rs 350 crore fund for MSRTC subsidised fares for Dec

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has been granted approval for the disbursement of Rs 350 crore for subsidised fares fund for the month of December 2024.

The decision was conveyed through an official notification by the Managing Director and Chairman of MSRTC.

“The state government has agreed to release the amount as part of the budget provisions for the fiscal year 2024-25. The Rs 350 crore will be allocated from the available budgetary allocations for the fiscal year under specific headings related to transport and administration,” the notification said.

The transportation commissioner has been instructed to ensure that this amount is made available to MSRTC for the intended purpose. The funds will be used to maintain subsidised fares for MSRTC passengers, as per the scheme in place, it said.

ST to purchase 5,000 self-owned buses annually: Transport Minister Sarnaik

Meanwhile, last month, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had announced that the Maharashtra State Transport (ST) Corporation will acquire 5,000 self-owned red buses every year as part of a comprehensive five-year plan.

The move was aimed at modernising the State Transport corporation’s fleet while ending the practice of leasing buses.

The decision was made during a review meeting held at the office of the Transport Commissioner under Sarnaik`s chairmanship.

The meeting was attended by ST Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Dr. Madhav Kusekar, along with other senior officials.

Sarnaik highlighted the need for a phased approach to bus replacement in an official statement, ensuring that buses due for scrapping over the next five years are considered in the procurement plan. He directed officials to draft a detailed five-year roadmap, including the prioritisation of setting up charging stations at all depots for the integration of electric buses into the fleet.

To bolster the corporation’s finances, Sarnaik proposed introducing supplementary revenue-generating schemes, including a new advertising policy. The policy will enable digital advertisements on all three sides of the new buses, with a target to generate Rs 100 crore in revenue.

The Minister also highlighted the importance of pursuing toll waivers for ST buses on national highways with the central government and called for a reduction in VAT on diesel from the state government.