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| Saturday, 28 June 2003 |
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President proposes development modernisation of rail service instead In place of the government proposition to increase the existing rail fare, the President in her observations, proposed a five year comprehensive plan to be drawn up for the development and modernisation of the entire rail service. Funds for this project will have to be provided initially by the government as a matter of priority and the programme has to be designed so that it be a profit earning venture at the end of the stipulated period, a press release issued by Presidential Media Director Janadasa Peiris said. The President has made these observations after reviewing a Cabinet Memorandum by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Civil Aviation seeking approval of the Cabinet to increase the passenger transport fare by 40% to 60% and freight transport up to 20%, the release adds. The President has also pointed out that even in developed countries such as Great Britain and Japan fares of passenger transport are maintained at a reasonably fair level, with public well-being in mind. But in Sri Lanka the capital expenditure during the last two years has been drastically curtailed. Annual capital expenditure of Rs. five thousand million from 1996 to 2001 has been reduced to Rs. two thousand million in subsequent years. |
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