Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media, said in Parliament that they will give free season tickets to poor children without any money and those who are able to pay will pay one-third of the fare and give the rest as a subsidy.
Minister Bandula Gunawardena said this while answering a question asked by Polonnaruwa District Sjb MP Kins Nelson.
MP Kins Nelson questioned whether there is a story that only 9% was charged for the student season and now it will be charged up to 30%.
Answering that, Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that the “Sisusariya” is implemented on the basis of a large subsidy received from the government and two billion is given as a subsidy per year, but due to the financial crisis, the treasury is not able to give that money. The minister said that there is a big problem for the transport board as well as the private sector regarding the running of the “Sisusariya” and when a large subsidy is given for season tickets, the number of buses used will decrease.
Therefore, the minister said that a committee has been set up with the approval of the cabinet to look into this and make a decision. (Lankadeepa)
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