Students, public servants still heavily subsidized
Sri Lanka Railways General Manager, Dr.Lalithasiri Gunaruwan said that though the Government was compelled to raise rail fares after a lapse of three years from midnight yesterday it had taken into consideration school children and university students who travel on season tickets by granting a subsidy of almost 90%.
He said the government had also taken into consideration the difficulties faced by parents in sending their children to schools and universities with the steep rise in the cost of living. “We will be changing only 10% of the fare from season ticket holders.”
He said that subsequent to a meeting Transport Minister Dulles Alahapperuma had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa it was decided to continue to heavily subsidise the cost of public servants who travel on rail season tickets by 85% and private season ticket holders by 60% respectively.
“Despite the Treasury informing the railway department that it cannot continue to provide subsidies running into several hundred millions of rupees annually the government decided that though it would not be sufficient to raise the minimum fare from Rupees 5 to 10 and short distance rail fares between 100% to 150% and long distance fares by 60% ,” he said.
By Franklin R. Satyapalan
Source: The Island
Tags: long distance, public servants, rail fares, railway department, rupees, schools, season ticket, sri lanka railways, subsidy, treasury
