Transport Board records Rs. 1,000 m profit last month
Mohammed Naalir and Bandula Gunasekara, Matara
District Special corr.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) recorded a profit of Rs. 1,000
million through its 103 transport depots during last month, Transport
Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.
He said according to the recorded profit the projected annual income
of the SLTB is Rs. 12 billion.
Alahapperuma was addressing Matara Sri Lanka Transport Board Branch
Depot officers after handing over 18 renovated buses to the service.
Minister Alahapperuma said the profit of SLTB has increased by 32 per
cent in the past four months.
The Minister said the SLTB needs 14,000 tires monthly to run the bus
service. The SLTB spends Rs. 65 million to purchase tires.
Minister Alahapperuma said even though the SLTB imported 5,000 buses
during the last six years from 1994 to 2000 the SLTB did not go further
with those new buses. He said his aim is to build up the SLTB using
various means and methods.
Alahapperuma said even-though the SLTB was formulated in 1958 the
Board had maximum number of buses in 1975. During that year 5,200 buses
were in possession of the SLTB.
Moves are under way to manufacture 10,000 to 12,000 tires within the
SLTB. Alahapperuma said by the time Ampara tire factory is renovated two
new factories will be established in Matale and Ekala. President Mahinda
Rajapaksa has reserved funds for this purpose from the 2008 Budget.
The Ministry has spent 24.1 million to add these 18 buses to service.
If 18 buses were imported in place of these buses the Government would
have to bear an expenditure of Rs. 54 million.
The Government was able to save Rs. 30 million only at the Matara
Depot. It is targeted to renovate 300 old buses this year.
Four hundred engines will be imported from India in addition to the
already imported 300. The expenditure is equal to the expenditure to
import one new bus, the Minister added.
Rs. 38 million will be reserved for Removing the salary anomalies.
The new salaries will be paid to the employees of SLTB from February. |
