14 October 2021 05:06 pm
The government will not allow the private bus industry to collapse and has decided to uplift the bus industry, Transport Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.
The Minister expressed these views at a ceremony held at the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Auditorium today in accordance with qurantine procedures to provide relief packages to private bus owners in the Ratnapura District.
"The private bus service in the country has provided an immense service to the people with a better transport services. However, the industry in the country has collapsed due to the COVID pandemic. It is the responsibility of the government to protect this industry, "she said.
Therefore, the Transport Ministry has taken action to implement a relief package programme in collaboration with the private sector involved in the bus industry.
At present, nearly 20,000 provincial and inter-provincial private buses are engaged in passenger transport services around the country.
However, due to the COVID pandemic, private buses have lost their revenue and have not even been able to carry out maintenance work.
Therefore, tyre, battery, lubricant manufacturers and spare parts dealers involved in the bus industry have made financial contributions to provide these relief packages.
A bus owner will receive a relief of nearly Rs. 100,000 under this programme, Minister Wanniarachchi added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)