The BRS leaders were arguing from the beginning that the Auto drivers were in trouble as the Government allowed the women to travel free in the RTC Buses.
Some women also opposed the free travel as some of them were using the service without any discretion. This free service will definitely cut into the profits of the RTC in general.
RTC is now slowly coming out of the red and this free service makes all the difference.
Responding to the comments by Palla the BRS leader, transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the MLA’s words sounded as though demons were chanting ‘vedas’.
The issue came up in the Assembly for discussion where they argued on the free bus transport to women.
Did the BRS government extend any financial aid to the auto drivers, he asked and informed the House that they were planning to give Rs 12,000 every year to the auto drivers. “It is as though the BRS is provoking the auto drivers to end their life,” he criticized.
Palla Rajaeshwar the BRS MLA said that the Congress government is more interested in White papers rather than solutions.” The BRS MLA said that over 21 auto drivers ended their life unable to make both the ends meet following the implementation of the Mahalakshmi scheme, as part of which women are being provided free travel in RTC buses.
He demanded that the government should provide Rs 20 lakh ex gratia to the families of dead and also extend the loan waiver scheme to the auto drivers.
He said that the Governor’s address did not announce any action plan for fulfilling the remaining four guarantees of the total six announced by the Congress.
