RTC Profitable With Mahalakshmi Scheme: Bhatti

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka today claimed that the RTC had turned profitable due to the implementation of the Mahalakshmi Scheme.

He also said that after the Congress government came to power, cosmetic and mess charges for poor students in welfare hostels were increased by 200% and that bills related to cosmetic and mess charges were being paid once every three months.

The Deputy CM held a review meeting at Praja Bhavan with officials from the RTC and the BC Welfare Department. Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Finance Principal Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Special Principal Secretary Vikas Raj, RTC Managing Director Nagireddy, joint transport officials, MJP Secretary Saidulu and BC Welfare officials participated in the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Vikramarka said that since assuming office, the government had been taking key measures to strengthen the RTC and support its workforce. He added that the Mahalakshmi Scheme, which provided free bus travel for women, had helped bring the RTC into profits (though he did not specify how).

"So far, under the Mahalakshmi Scheme, 255 crore free bus journeys have taken place through the RTC. The scheme is taking concrete steps toward women's empowerment," he claimed.

For free bus travel under the Mahalakshmi Scheme, Vikramarka instructed officials to enter into an agreement with the Centre for Good Governance and distribute special cards, and ensure that they reached every woman in Telangana.

Bhatti said that with loans from women's self-help groups and government support, new buses had been added to the corporation. The government was also supporting the establishment of new bus depots and the development of bus stations. However, the officials also needed to explore independent revenue sources, he said.

During the previous government's tenure, PF dues of the corporation had stood at Rs 1,400 crore, which the present government had reduced to Rs 660 crore within two years, Bhatti said. Similarly, CCS dues, which had earlier stood at Rs 600 crore, had now been reduced to Rs 373 crore, he said.

He also said that under the PM e-DRIVE scheme 2,800 electric buses would be introduced in Hyderabad, and instructed officials to provide charging stations and the necessary infrastructure. He added that 100 electric buses would also be introduced in Nizamabad and Warangal under the same scheme.