Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said he wished to offer a bouquet to the Employees of the Sri Lanka Transport Board for enabling him to transform the institution into a profitable concern without having to depend on the Treasury like a parasite.
He was addressing the gathering at a ceremony held at the SLTB head office at Narahenpita to handover a fleet of 14 buses bought by profit earning SLTB depots to the respective depots on November 15.
The Minister said there depots had been able to purchase those buses due to efficient financial management carried out by them.
The buses were bought to ensure an efficient bus service even if the funds promised by the Treasury to buy 1,000 more buses was not forthcoming.
He said 85 of the 106 provincial SLTB depots had recorded a financial turnaround. Recently the Hatton Depot purchased a fleet of 12 buses. The 14 buses handed over by him were bought by the Polonnaruwa Wennappuwa, Maharagama and Kuliyapitiya depots. Each bus cost Rs. 6.9 million while he while consignment cost a total of Rs. 96.6 million.
He said a decision had been taken to purchase another fleet of 300 buses for the SLTB on lease and another 500 buses under an Indian credit line. The Minister said the SLTB had to spend an additional Rs. 200 million on employee salaries on account of the recent salary increase granted to them.
This made it imperative for all depots to improve their income sources.
Meanwhile the SLTB said in a statement that Polonnaruwa, Katubedda, Maharagama and Central Bus station had planned to purchase 9 luxury buses to be operated on expressways. The 9 buses cost a total sum of Rs. 153.9 million.
Ministry Secretary G.S. Vithanage and SLTB Chairman Ramal Siriwardena were also present on the occasion.