RANCHI, Oct 18: The Jharkhand Cabinet on Wednesday approved several amendments to attract private operators for implementation of the ‘Mukhya Mantri Gram Gadi Yojana’ (MMGGY), a rural transport scheme, an official said.
The government decided to offer more relief and benefits to the operators, which include additional financial assistance, permission to increase seating capacity and extension in route length for passenger vehicles under the scheme, the official said.
Jharkhand cabinet secretary Vandana Dadel said, “The seating capacity for such vehicles has been increased to 42 from earlier 33 under the scheme. The government also decided to provide financial assistance per kilometre to vehicles according to their seating capacity”.
Vehicles with a seating capacity between seven and 12, will get financial assistance of Rs 7.5 per km, while vehicles with a seating capacity between 13 and 24 will get Rs 10.5 per km, vehicles with a seating capacity of 25 to 32 will receive Rs 14.5 per km and vehicle with seating capacity between 33 and 42 will get Rs 18 per km, she said.
Dadel said that route distance has also been amended under the scheme. Now, the maximum route length will be 125 km, which was earlier 70 km.
The government will also provide subsidy for purchase of new vehicles under the scheme. Besides, earlier proposed rebates on road tax, permit application fee, registration fee and fitness fee will continue, she said.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren had approved the scheme in October 2022 to link the rural blocks to sub-divisions and then to district headquarters, so that people living in remote villages can get an accessible transportation system. In the first phase, as many as 250 vehicles would be operated under the scheme.
Senior citizens, school and college students, physically challenged, HIV positive, widows and Jharkhand movement activists will get the facility of free travel in buses.
However, private operators did not show any interest in the project terming it “non-viable”.
Jharkhand Transport secretary Kripanand Jha told PTI, “We hope the operators will find it viable now and it will be a success. After the amendments, operators will get some 75 per cent subsidy on their fuel cost. They will also be able to recover the cost of 30 per cent seats that they need to offer free to various category people”.
The Cabinet approved as many as 29 agendas including the proposal of investment of pension fund (state’s share) in the Treasury bill for one year.
The cabinet also approved the proposal of one-year apprentice training for degree and diploma-holding students in state universities, affiliated colleges, and offices of higher and technical education department. (PTI)
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