Following the State Government decision to hike VAT on petrol and diesel by two per cent, the All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association has demanded an immediate increase in bus fare.
The association has submitted a memorandum to the Government urging it to hike the bus fare, but it is yet to be considered.
Association secretary Debendra Sahu said an executive body meeting of the association would be held in Bhubaneswar next week to discuss the future course of action on the demand.
“The Government had increased the bus fare in October last year. In these eight months, around Rs 6 has been hiked in the price of diesel per litre. The recent two-per cent increase in the VAT on diesel is affecting bus owners. A bus owner is losing Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 per bus daily now. Hence, we urged the Government to consider our plea without any further delay,” Sahu told mediapersons on Thursday.