'DMK mismanagement cost STC Rs. 2500 cr.'

By Our Staff Reporter

TUTICORIN, AUG. 12. The Transport Minister, Mr. Nainar Nagendran, today alleged that `mismanagement' of the transport sector by the previous DMK Government resulted in the State Transport Corporation (STC) suffering a loss of Rs. 2,500 crores.

The previous tenure of Ms. Jayalalithaa was a `golden era' in the annals of the STC. However, things started deteriorating during the DMK regime. While even small operators with a couple of buses were earning a good profit, the STC, despite having 17,000 buses and 1.20 lakh employees, suffered huge losses. The new government now initiated steps to re-rail the STC through correctives, he said.

The Minister was addressing a meeting here in which representatives of lorry booking agents and owners from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Pondicherry participated.

Referring to the demands voiced by the booking agents, Mr. Nagendran said the lorry transport sector was also hit by the spiralling prices of spare parts and fuel. However, action would be taken to redress their grievances.

The Minister for Handloom and Textile, Mr. S. P. Shanmuganathan, who also addressed the meeting here to mark the 40th anniversary of the Tuticorin Lorry Booking Agents Association and the seventh anniversary of the Tamil Nadu State Lorry Booking Agents Federation, said the Government would consider the demand for establishing an auto nagar and a driving institute for lorry drivers in the port town.

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Section  : Southern States
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