Relief package for 20,000 private bus owners

The Ministry of Transport has taken steps to provide a relief package to revive the private bus industry impacted for a year and a half due to the COVID pandemic.

At present there are nearly 20,000 provincial and inter-provincial private buses plying island wide. The companies CEAT, EXIDE, Ashok Leyland, DIMO and LAUGFS, which are involved in the transportation industry, have contributed to this relief package.

Under these packages, the companies have agreed with the National Transport Services Commission to offer special discounts on tires, batteries, lubricants and spare parts for buses that will be used for resumption of transport services.

Accordingly, relief packages worth close to Rs. 100,000 will be provided to each bus owner, Transport Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.

The National Transport Commission (NTC) has provided relief packages to 1916 provincial bus passengers and 419 inter-provincial bus passengers in the Ratnapura District under this program.

Minister of Transport Pavithra Wanniarachchi and the State Minister of Transport Dilum Amunugama handed over these relief packages to 350 bus owners in accordance with health safety guidelines at the Ratnapura Provincial Council Auditorium early this week.

Sabaragamuwa Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Chairman Kanchana Jayaratne and National Transport Commission Chairman Shashi Welgama were also present on the occasion.