Bengal to provide up to Rs 6L insurance for vehicles damaged

Amid apprehension of violence during the nationwide trade union strike on Wednesday, the West Bengal government on Tuesday promised an insurance cover of up to Rs 6 lakh for vehicles damaged due to violence.

Suvendu Adhikari, the state's transport minister, said FIRs will be registered within 24 hours of such incidents taking place.

He said associations and unions of private bus, taxi and app cab operators have committed to ensuring normal services across the state during the stir following meetings with transport department officials.

The West Bengal Transport Corporation will operate 1,150 buses compared to a daily average of 900, while South Bengal State Transport Corporation will run 826 buses as against a normal of 692, Adhikari said.

The North Bengal State Transport Corporation will run 655 buses as against 605 buses on a normal day, he said.

Ten central trade unions had on Monday said around 25 crore people will participate in the nationwide strike against the government's "anti-people" policies.

The trade unions -- INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC -- besides several sectoral federations and associations had adopted a declaration in September last year to go on a nationwide strike on January 8.

About 60 organisations of students and elected office-bearers of some universities have also decided to join the strike to raise voice against increased fee structure and commercialization of education.

The trade unions have condemned the JNU violence and similar incidents on other university campuses, and expressed solidarity with students and teachers all over India.