news details |
|
|
| Shabir seeks liberal central funding for improving transport sector in J&K | | Delhi asked to release Rs 26.64Cr payment | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
New Delhi, February 05- Minister of State for Transport, Mr. Shabir Ahmed Khan today said that the Motor Vehicle Department will be totally computerized.
The smart card project which forms part of e-governance is underway, will bring uniformity and inter operability of Transport Department with the rest of the country.
Minister said during the meeting of 32nd Transport Development Counsel in the Union Capital here today.
The meeting was chaired by Minister for Road Transport and Highways Mr. Kamal Nath and attended by the State Transport Ministers from all over the country.
The meeting, convened by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is examining issues related to implementation of National Permit System and rationalization of Motor Vehicle Taxes.
The Minister said that the Centre has approved Rs.1.29 crore for computerization of the district level transport offices in Jammu and Kashmir. So far Rs.32.68 lakh have been released which have been utilized on computerization of RTO offices Jammu, Srinagar, Kathua, Udhampur, Leh and Budgam and the offices at Baramulla and Rajouri will also become operational soon, he added and said that the remaining districts will be operationalzed during the 2nd phase.
Shabir said the smart card-based driving license and registration certificates will bring uniformity and inter-operability throughout the country.
Stating that J&K is a hilly State, dependent on road transport net work, the Minister urged for liberal funding to ensure bus services in rural tribal areas.
The Minister said that the hilly State considerably reduce the utilization of buses thereby rendering then as liability rather than the asset for the JK SRTC.
Shabir said that in absence of adequate resources the Corporation fleet could not augmented to the required level and the rural services had partly been dispensed with. This is important as private transporters do not find routs lucrative, he added.
Highlighting the functioning of JKSRTC, the Minister said that Corporation have pioneered the growth of public transport in the State and rendered widely recognized services in the field. He said due to various reasons including those beyond its control, the Corporation has suffered a decline in its performance since 1988-99. He said the percentage of the over aged fleet has increased to an un-acceptable level of 78% due to which fleet utilization has decreased to 58%, adding that the operational fleet of 1120 vehicles in 1988-89 has come down to 567 because of over aging and inconsistent replacement of the fleet.
The Minister briefed the meeting that due to turmoil in the State from 1990 onwards had an adverse effect, on the Corporation, as frequent bandh, hartals, disturbance, curfew, disruption of normal movement and decline in tourist inflow seriously impacted the Corporation. He said 117 vehicles were destroyed in bomb blasts and mob furies which resulted in depletion of fleet strength and consequent loss of revenue.
Seeking financial assistance from the Union Ministry for revival of the JKSRTC, the Minister said that an amount of Rs.2.57 crore and Rs.6.73 crore was provided by the State Government as plan assistance for acquisition of fleet during the 9th and 10th five year plan respectively. He said this budgetary support did not meet the requirements of the Corporation.
The Minister said in terms of RTC Act-1950, the share of the Central Government should have been Rs.37.78 crore in the ratio of 67:33 as share capital where as JK RTC received only Rs.11.14 crore. He urged for release of outstanding amount of Rs.26.64 crore besides a special financial package to the State Government for revival and upgradation of the transport facilities in rural and tribal areas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
