Bhubaneswar: Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association has decided to stage dharna outside the State Assembly on Wednesday protesting against the Government’s LAccMI (Location Accessible Multimodal Initiative) scheme.
As many as 100 bus owners will stage protests and submit a memorandum to the government. It was decided in the executive body meeting of the association.
The bus owners alleged that the government has taken a step-motherly approach to the private transport system.
They have been demanding that buses under LAccMI scheme should not ply from blocks to district headquarters, which could adversely affect the business of private bus owners.
They also demanded waiver of additional MV tax and the implementation of equal fares for both private and government buses.
It decided not to provide private buses to the political parties for any event.
At least 1,000 buses are likely to operate in the rural areas with an allocated budget of Rs 3,178 crore under the scheme.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had launched the affordable bus service under LaccMI in October.
The scheme aims to connect all the gram panchayats with the district headquarters and the state capital.
