MP govt to launch new transport policy

New policy to be introduced in a fortnight

To smoothen transport system in Madhya Pradesh, state government will soon come up with a new Transport Policy. Speaking to Business Standard, transport Minister Bhupendra Singh said the state would come up with a new policy in a fortnight. "We are considering a new policy and would come up with it soon," the minister said.

The policy, according to a highly-placed sources, would look into easing passenger carrier permit process simpler and easier to attract more investment in private transport system.

State government has already closed down its state road transport corporation and has obtained necessary permission from the Central government recently. "As many as 400 employees are left in the corporation," said the official.

"The idea of the new policy would hover over three points; to make process easier for driving licenses, issue transport permits to those areas that connects to remote corners or those points from where a transport is not available and ensure proper rural transport system.

On account of continuous losses, state had decided nine years back to close the MP State Road Transport Corporation. The Central Government holds 29.5% share in the corporation, and so consent for closure was sought from the Central Government. "They (central government) have recently granted us permission to close it," the minister said.

The Ministry of Finance, Government of India, also approved financial assistance of Rs 45 crore toward voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) of the employees of the MPRTC, which had 10,502 employees. They took VRS while services of about 200 employees were terminated on the basis of poor performance. "Now government would consider what to do with those 400 employees," another senior official in state transport department said. The corporation had Rs 3611 crore of outstanding liabilities.

An Assocham report had recently said that amid other states that have clocked high growth in attracting investments in the transport services sector include Madhya Pradesh has attracted 33.2% yet less than what Bihar (35.6%) as attracted.