BENGALURU: People who are already paying heavily for petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders will have to be ready to burn a bigger hole in their pocket in the near future as the State Government is planning to increase autorickshaw and BMTC bus fares and also the price of milk and milk products. The State Government had recently revised the taxi fares by allowing operators to collect Rs 75 for non-air-conditioned and Rs 100 for air-conditioned cabs as the minimum charge for the first 4 km. After that, it is Rs 24 per kilometre for AC cabs and Rs 18 for non-AC taxis.
A senior BMTC official said that the transport corporation has proposed an 18-20 per cent increase in fares for both AC and non-AC buses. “We are seeking a hike as the diesel price has gone up and BMTC has suffered a revenue loss because of Covid. We have approached Transport Minister and Deputy CM Laxman Savadi, but he is not keen on the hike.
But he assured us that he will discuss the issue with CM B S Yeddiyurappa on the quantum of hike. The decision will be taken after the budget,” an official, requesting anonymity, said. Savadi, however, told TNIE categorically that the government is not intending to increase BMTC fares. On autorickshaw fares, Transport Department Secretary Anjum Parvez said the drivers’ unions are seeking an increase in the minimum fare for the first 2 km from the present Rs 25 to Rs 36 as the LPG price has gone up.
Milk price hike inevitable: KMF sources
“We will decide the exact amount after the calculation and it will happen soon,’’ he said. Karnataka has 14 milk unions and each pays a different procurement price to farmers. Dairy farmers are seeking Rs 40 per litre from the existing Rs 31 to Rs 34.
KMF Chairman Balachandra Jarkiholi said that the unions are under loss and farmers are in distress because of Covid. “In 2020, we had increased the milk price from Rs 35 to Rs 37 per litre of milk and Rs 39 to Rs 41 per litre of curd. Unions give the fixed procurement price, while the government gives additional incentives. For example, the Bengaluru Urban Milk Federation pays Rs 26 per litre, while the government gives Rs 5. We are insisting that Unions increase the procurement price by Rs 2. Every month, the State Government spends Rs 100 crore on incentives,” he added.KMF sources said that the price hike is inevitable.
“Though farmers are demanding Rs 40 per litre, we are planning an increase of Rs 2-3 per litre,” a KMF source said.