Assam CM reviews functioning of state transport department, moots idea of profitability
The Chief Minister has accordingly directed the Transport department to maintain a close watch on the movement of overloaded coal trucks and to identify road tax defaulters who cause a loss to the government.
Avik Chakraborty
DIBRUGARH:
Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday reviewed the functioning of the Commissionerate of Transport, Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) and Inland Water Transport department during a meeting held at Janata Bhawan in Guwahati.
The Chief Minister has accordingly directed the Transport department to maintain a close watch on the movement of overloaded coal trucks and to identify road tax defaulters who cause a loss to the government.
During the meeting, Sarma took stock of the activities of ASTC and asked the officials to examine the operational system of the public transport operator for streamlining its functioning. He directed the department to facilitate a better environment for the operation of more private operator buses (POBs) under ASTC besides increasing involvement of its own buses in oil PSUs to give a major push to its revenue generation.
The Chief Minister further directed the department to ensure that no board meeting of ASTC is held without the participation of representatives of Transport, Finance and Public Enterprises Departments.
He also directed to stop re-employment and fresh appointment in ASTC henceforth without the approval of the State Cabinet.
Pointing to the growth aspect of dormant government departments, Sarma has asked the department to prepare a vision plan for ASTC to make it a profitable entity in the next five years and carry out asset monetization exercise at the earliest.
Furthermore, reviewing the activities of Inland Water Transport, he has directed the officials to explore the feasibility for joint venture by IWT and Tourism Department and take steps for operation of cruise service over Brahmaputra River from Guwahati to Kaziranga National Park catering to the needs of domestic tourists.
The review meeting was also attended by Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Chairman of ASTC Ashok Kumar Bhattarai, Principal Secretary of Transport Department KK Dwivedi and other top officials.
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