RTC likely to hike bus fares

HYDERABAD: With steep hike in diesel prices, increase in RTC fares looks imminent as it appears to be last resort for the state government. The hike would be in such a way that it would not have a major impact on the common man, transport minister Botcha Satyanarayana has said.Satyanarayana and civil supplies minister D Sridhar Babu met chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy requesting him to increase the subsidy on LPG cylinders.Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Satyanarayana said that APSRTC officials had apprised him that the corporation has already been running under huge losses to the tune of Rs 300 crore due to hike in diesel prices last year.With the latest hike, the APSRTC would incur another Rs 300 crore loss, which can cripple the state-owned transport corporation.However, he has directed the officials to chalk out various options so that it would not impact the common man but, however,  stated that if it becomes imminent to increase the fare, the corporation will take a decision in this regard.Senior RTC officials told Express that they are working out 2 to 3 options and it would be submitted to the chief minister for necessary action. The various options include increase in fares, exemption of VAT on diesel or exemption of motor vehicle tax etc.Sridhar Babu said the state government has  already been giving a subsidy of Rs. 25 per LPG cylinder to 1.42 crore households in the state.The chief minister has not given any specific assurance on LPG subsidy, but said that he would discuss the issue with the officials and take a decision, Sridhar Babu said.