Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], September 23 : Jose, a native of Mookkannoor in Angamaly, has donated Rs 40 lakh to the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) for purchasing a new bus.
This is the first time in the history of KSRTC that a private individual has donated funds to purchase a bus for the corporation.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, at a simple function held in the Chief Minister’s chamber after the Cabinet meeting, Jose handed over a cheque for Rs 40 lakh to Chief Minister VD Satheesan.
Accepting the cheque, the Chief Minister said he hoped it would mark a good beginning and encourage more private individuals and institutions to come forward to purchase buses for KSRTC. He then handed over the cheque to Transport Minister CP John.
Minister Roji M John said Jose’s decision was exemplary.
Jose runs a company called Heeman Auto Robo Park in the constituency of Higher Education Minister Roji M John. After hearing the Chief Minister’s appeal urging people to come forward in support of KSRTC, Jose decided to donate a bus. He first informed Minister Roji M John about his decision.
When Roji M John met Transport Minister CP John on Tuesday, he informed him about Jose’s offer and subsequently called Jose directly and told him that he could hand over the amount.
Jose’s only request is that the bus donated by him should operate from the Angamaly depot. He also requested the Transport Minister to introduce a route connecting the Athirappilly tourism region with southern Keralam. Roji M John also raised the same request. The Transport Minister assured them that a bus service would be operated on the route suggested by Jose.
Transport Minister CP John said that when the Calicut City Cooperative Bank had earlier donated funds to purchase a bus for KSRTC, there was an expectation that more people would follow the example.
The Chief Minister added that this was the first such instance in the history of KSRTC and expressed hope that more people would come forward to support the corporation.
The cheque handed over by Jose was subsequently given by the Transport Minister to KSRTC CMD PS Pramoj Shankar.
As part of the government’s 100-day action programme, KSRTC is providing an opportunity for individuals and organisations to sponsor buses to improve public transport facilities.
The Transport Minister said buses can also be sponsored by local self-government institutions, cooperative institutions, companies, trusts, voluntary organisations and through CSR funds.