Jammu,July 18 (Scoop News) –Minister for Medical & Technical Education R. S. Chib and Minister for Industries and Commerce S.S. Salathia today announced that Government was going to increase the passenger fare by 13 percent, while the Transport Commissioner (TC) has been authorized to revise the fare hence forth taking into consideration the rise in prices of diesel. The notification in this regard shall be issued within two days, they said.
The Ministers made the announcement during a meeting with the transporters of Jammu division, who had given a strike call to press their demand for increase in passenger fare. The transporters of the State had reportedly approached the Government through some Union leaders demanding hike in passenger fare in the wake of rise in fuel prices and had threatened to go on strike on July 19.
After the assurance by the Ministers, the transport Union headed by Anil Chopra and Secretary Vijay Sharma called off the proposed strike which was scheduled to begin from tomorrow.
They welcomed the decision of the government headed by Omar Abdullah and Transport Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon to concede to the demands of the transporters for hiking the fare of the buses and mini-buses in the State as this was their long pending demand.
They also demanded that 2% fare be further increased considering the recent hike of Rs. 2 in the diesel prices, responding to which the ministers assured that the government has authorized Transport Commissioner to revise the fares who will conduct a comprehensive survey and accordingly hike in fare will be notified.
The Ministers appreciated the role of transporters in maintaining the supply of essential commodities in the State during the recent strike in Kashmir and also lauded their role in defying Jammu bandh recently.
Among others, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr. Pawan Kotwal, IGP Jammu Ashok Gupta, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu M. K. Dwivedi, Deputy Transport Commissioner J&K Bhumesh Sharma, Deputy Director Information Suram Chand Sharma and SP Traffic Jammu were also present on the occasion.