THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As diesel shortage in KSRTC continued on the second day prompting the public transporter to cancel nearly 60 per cent of ordinary bus services, the state government allotted `20 crore pending assistance to tide over the crisis. Though the finance department cleared the file, it may take two to four days for the money to be credited into KSRTC’s account as Sunday and Tuesday are public holidays, said sources.
The corporation was compelled to cut half of its ordinary bus schedules on Friday as Indian Oil Corporation refused to supply diesel, citing huge arrears. Fast and super fast services were managed by purchasing fuel from retail outlets and paying for the same from the ticket revenue. The same model was followed on Saturday too, but, more services were cancelled. On Friday, passengers from rural regions where KSRTC has a monopoly over routes suffered a lot because of cancellation of services. Only those services that fetch `35 as revenue per km were allowed to operate.
The allotment of `20 crore done on Saturday was the pending amount in the grant to the corporation in July. Every month, the government gives `50 crore as grant to KSRTC for paying loans and settling fuel bills. However, the finance department only allotted `30 crore for July and held the file for the remaining amount in the finance minister’s office. With the crisis deepening, the minister ordered immediate disbursal of funds on Saturday.